


Maybe I Can Learn To Love You

by isabelbarret



Series: It's Not Simple But It's Good [2]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Victorian, Falling In Love, Getting Together, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Marriage of Convenience, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-16
Updated: 2017-02-17
Packaged: 2018-09-17 21:11:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 26,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9345125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isabelbarret/pseuds/isabelbarret
Summary: When the world learns that Kent Parson is not really a beta but instead an omega, his life comes crashing down around him. Suddenly he finds himself engaged to a complete stranger, baking with his old best friends husband and loosing everything he worked his entire life for.The only thing he wants is to go back in time.





	1. An Unfortunate Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! This is a victorian era, A/B/O, universe and because of that not everything is going to be historically accurate. Feel free to mention to me if you see any major issues, though I did some research about victorian England I would not claim to be an expert at all.  
> This is a continuation of [Dream a little dream](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8180674/chapters/18740974) which is about Jack and Bitty. Though it's not completely essential to read it for understanding the plot of this story it will clarify some things and shed light on some aspects.  
> Warning: this story will contain reference to past child abuse and attempted sexual assault. Though it will not be graphic or violent please keep that in mind.  
> Hope you enjoy!

Kent wakes up in an unfamiliar room. He knows he is not in his own home, he’d never leave a room painted that awful pink color. It looks like something that would have been in his grandmother's house.

He sits up straight in the bed and is relieved to find that he’s mostly clothed. While the decor in the bedroom might be horrible, the sheets are pleasantly soft. He pulls the blanket up around his shoulder, his head still feels a little fuzzy and his body is much worse for wear.

Suddenly, though, before Kent could drift back into sleep, the door is thrown open and a flood of light follows immediately with it. Out of all the people he expected to see standing at the open door, Jack Zimmerman's husband was definitely the last person. Eric had a plate in his hand, and a little girl with blonde curls and big blue eyes standing behind him.

“Hello,” Kent mumbles while pulling the covers tighter around his shoulder. Eric gives him a look and sets the tray down on the bed beside Kent. There's toast and jam along with some steaming sausages.

“I had some breakfast made for you, I can get you some tea if you would like,” Eric says while picking up his daughter who looks like she’s trying to chew her fingers off.

Kent stares down at the tray.

“Tea sounds fine,” he says slowly, “Where am I right now?”

“You're at our house, in London,” Bitty says, frowning. “Do you not remember?”

“Is there something I should remember,” Kent asks carefully. He can only imagine waking up at Jack’s house with his husband bringing him breakfast can only mean something happened. Probably something scandalous and very embarrassing, something he probably won’t want to remember.

“You’ve been here for a week,” Bitty replies and Kent can’t say that doesn’t surprise him. “Do you really not remember anything? You poor thing, Jack and Mr. Mashkov brought you here after your heat started.”

“My heat? What do you mean my heat started?” Kent sure his eyes are as wide as saucers, “Oh God, it’s coming back to me.”

Kent flops back down on the pillow in defeat, covering his face with his arms. While the memories are still pretty fractured, it does make him want to bury himself in a six foot hole.

“You tried to maul me one time when I brought you oatmeal, I had to very clearly explain to you that I do not have the right equipment,” Eric says, as his daughter tries to climb up into the bed.

Kent gives Bitty a look out of the corner of his eye, “This is my first heat in six years.”

Bitty’s daughter peers over from her spot on the bed and he can see her holding a stuffed bear with button eyes.

Bitty, in the meanwhile, asks, “You’ve been taking heat suppressants.”

Kent sits up, “You know what heat suppressors are?”

Bitty rolls his eyes, “I know you probably think I’m naive, as everybody seems to think so. Suppressors are much more common in America, many states had very loose regulations surrounding them. Many working omegas take them so they don’t have to take time off from work because of their heat.”

“So you don’t consider taking them to be wrong,” Kent asks hopefully. He knows the laws, knows how public opinion states that suppressants are wrong and immoral. Kent is sure the news has spread, he imagines the police we’ll be coming for him soon enough.

“No, I don’t think it’s wrong,” Eric says slowly, “but it is illegal.”

The inside of a jail cell is not exactly somewhere Kent thought he would see but now it’s starting to look more and more likely.

“So, I’m sure the police will be knocking on your door any second now.”

His humour must not translate because Eric looks down at his lap, “It’s not exactly going to be that simple. I’m not sure how much you remember from that night but-”

“I remember Jack and someone else practically dragging me from the restaurant and into a carriage. I remember throwing up toast at some point.”

“We switched to oatmeal after that,” Eric says, “That man who helped, his names Alexei Mashkov. He gave me this to give to you.”

Eric hands him a ring, an extremely fashionable thing with a shiny diamond on it. Kent inspects it carefully, he knows an engagement ring when he sees one. Under less confusing circumstances, it’s actually the kind of ring he would have liked.

“You know what happens when an Omega is in full heat in public?” Eric asks carefully as Kent holds the ring up close to his face. The question makes him jerk his hands back down to his lap

“Anyone has the right to claim you,” Kent says slowly while reaching up to grasp at his scent glands. He doesn’t feel a bonding mark, though he’s been told you can tell you’ve been bonded without even feeling the bite. Like it’s a little presences in the back of your mind, just resting there.

“So Mashkov claimed me. Not literally, but this ring seems close enough to one,” Kent says as he turns the ring over in his hand, slipping it onto his ring finger and then quickly taking it off.

Eric stands up from his spot on the bed, “He’s coming over later to talk. You may want to take a bath, wash up.”

Kent is sure he stinks like heat, he’s sure even Eric is able to smell him. By the looks his daughter gives him, she can probably smell him too, and it doesn’t seem to be a very good scent.

He’s pretty sure that Eric's not his biggest fan. Based on past experiences he’s more than pretty sure that Eric can’t stand him, wants to strangle him in his sleep or something equally vengeful.

“Eric,” Kent says as he begins to head to the door, “Thanks for taking care of me.”

Eric gives him a little smile, “You can call me Bitty if you want, I mean I suppose we're friends now, since you did try to have sex with me.”

Kent sets him with a withering look and Bitty breaks out laughing.

Kent takes a long bath after that, washing down with sweet smelling lavender soap. He sits in the water until he becomes shriveled and the water becomes too cold to be remotely comfortable. Bitty’s left a big fuzzy robe which he eagerly wraps himself in, more than happy to be rid of that post heat crust.

At some point, someone got clothes from his home and filled the dresser with them. He highly suspects Jack as the culprit; it’s the kind of thing he’d expect from him. He’s also delighted to find Kit on the bed, looking slightly disgruntled but she purrs against him anyways. Though he’s happy to have his stuff he’s not actually happy about what this means, having his stuf means he'll probably be here for a while.

Standing at the dresser, Kent picks up the rings and examines the jewel on it. It’s impressive, Kent can tell, shining in every direction he tilts it in. Quietly and with no fanfare, Kent slides the ring onto his left middle finger. The ring feels heavy on his finger, as if it holds its own significance wherever Kent brings it. It shouts _I am bonded, I am claimed, I am an omega._ Kent sighs and tries to ignore it by focusing on getting dressed.

 

 

 

 

 

Wearing fresh clothes feels good, especially some that are his own. He finally feels ready to venture from his room, wandering aimlessly down the intricate maze of hallways and down the stairs.

He runs into a redhaired omega playing with Bitty’s and Jack’s daughter, who he believes is named Amelia, now that his head is clearer. Kent stops at the doorway as the man looks over at him, glaring as if Kent has done something to personally affront him and his mother.

He hadn’t realised how much the suppressants were blocking him from smelling others until he gets a sniff of him. Eric’s scent had been subdued after the bond, but the unbonded omega makes the air so thick that Kent’s head starts to spin. He can’t begin to imagine what an unbond alpha is going to be like.

“Do you happen to know where Bitty is?” Kent finally asks, trying not to give away his uneasiness of the whole situation.

“He’s down in the kitchen, making a pie,” the man says as if it’s the most obvious thing in the entire world. Kent nods before leaving the room, wandering around a little more until he finally stumbles across the kitchen.

“Oh, you're finally up!” Bitty says as soon as he spots him, “Would you like some pie? It’s fresh from this morning.”

“If you insist,” Kent says, knowing that he has never been one for turning down pie. Bitty gives him a large slice, apple with what smells like maple. Kent’s head is still pounding a bit, but he knows it probably from the stress of coming off the suppressants more than anything else. Experience reminds him of the few times in the past when he’d forget to take them and vicious headaches he’s get in return.

Kent eats his pie while watching Bitty putter around the kitchen. He’s humming quietly to himself as though he's already forgot that Kent still there. It’s kind of nice, he’s not quite ready to be the full source of anyone's attention yet.

“So, when is Mr. Mashkov supposed to return again?” Kent twists the ring around on his finger.

Bitty shrugs without turning back to him, “Around five or six, Jack didn’t tell me exactly what time. Why, is there something you have to do?”

“I would like to go home,” Kent says as he looks down at the table. He knows what Bitty is going to say before the words even left his own lips. He hears Bitty sigh before sitting across from him.

“You know that's not possible. I wish you could but-”

“Because omega’s don’t have any right to own land if they’re not married,” Kent finished, laughing at his own delusions. Bitty sets him with a sympathetic look.

“I’m sure Mashkov will buy your house for you if you’d like?” he tries. Kent hates this, hates feeling so hopeless all the time. He remembers why he took the suppressants in the first place, all legalities put aside. Kent can’t remember the last time he felt so weak.

“How can you stand it?” Kent says suddenly, finally looking away from the table. “Being Jack’s little house omega, sitting around and having his babies and cooking him pies? Doesn’t it make you sick?” Kent asks, knowing that he must sound cruel. And yet, there was a time when Kent would have done anything just to be Jack’s. Now, just the notion of it makes him sick.

Bitty gives him a steady stare and says, “It isn’t all bad, you know. Of course I want more, I left America for the chance of having something better. As it turns out, being married to Jack is truly a blessing,” Bitty says with the tiredness of someone trying to reassure both someone and themselves. After a quiet moment, Bitty adds, “You don’t know how lucky you are.”

Kent gives a bitter laugh. The last thing he feels is lucky.

“Lucky? Having everything only to have it all taken away. How the hell is that lucky?”

“At least you got to have something,” Bitty snaps suddenly, “I went right from living with my parents, to living with my grandmother, to being married to Jack. I have never done anything on my own, make my own decisions just for myself.”

Kent sits back, breathing out the growing tension from his shoulders. He knows that Bitty is right, in some way; Kent has been able to do what few other omegas could ever do. He’s lived his own life, not controlled by some alpha. He’s lived in his own house, made his own choices, done what he’s wanted when he’s wanted. All of that doesn’t mean the pain of getting it all taken away doesn’t sting.

“What if I don’t want to marry him?” Kent asks stubbornly.

“Then I’ll buy you a ticket to the first ship headed to America,” Bitty says seriously, “but think about it, long and hard. Sometimes, it’s hard to know when you have something good sitting right in front of you.” Bitty looks down to the ring on his finger.

Kent can’t imagine anything could possibly be good right now, but he tries his best to smile and nod.

 

 

 

 

 

_Kent first met Lucy when he was nineteen. A child still, confused with how the world worked in strange and terrible ways sometimes. Only recently has he began to shed the misguided optimism of his youth, leaves those ideas like a snake getting rid of it’s old skin._

_He was at a pub, the kind he was always told he shouldn’t go to. He was lonely though, more lonely than he’d ever been in his entire life._

_She had smiled at him from down the bar, she wasn’t particularly his type, mostly because he prefered men. She had big brown curls and wide green eyes that seemed to follow him around the pub._

_When Kent stumbled his way from the pub, he knows she’s following him. He’s not sure if she’s trying to be sly but if she is, she’s doing a terrible job at it. She may not be his type, but that doesn’t stop him from throwing her a flirty smile._

_She approaches him slowly, street lamps barely illuminating her face. If she was any bigger, Kent would be worried she might try to rob him, but her birdlike bones allow him to shed those fears._

_“Did Dawson send you?” She finally asks with a quiet voice._

_“I haven’t any idea what you're talking about. You approached me,” he said, giving her a look out of the corner of his eye._

_“Cautious, are you?” She asks, giving him a half smirk._

_“I really have to be going,” Kent says, rethinking all the decisions that led him to talking to this woman. He can’t see how any good can possibly come from it. He doesn't know why he’s always getting himself into these kinds of situations._

_“You don’t want what you’ve come for?” She grabs his wrist and he tugs it from her grasp as quick as he can. For such a meek looking thing, she had a rather impressive grip._

_Kent sneers, “I don’t want any of your drugs.”_

_“Not the suppressants?” she asks, brows furrowing in concern. “It’s not like you're going to be running out of heats anytime soon,” she says mockingly._

_He starts walking down the street, he’ll need to get a ride back home. He’s beginning to regret not bringing his own carriage._

_“I’m a beta. I don’t need any of your black market suppressants.” The lady laughs, a lightweight little giggle. Kent flees down the street before she can say anything else to him and doesn’t look back._

 

 

 

 

 

Jack comes home around five and walking behind him is Alexei Mashkov. Kent recognizes him; they’ve met before and not just during Kent's heat induced frenzy at the restaurant. He smiles over at Kent who turns away and looks down at the floor.

This feels all wrong, being here in Jack's house, talking to his husband, sitting in his kitchen. It makes him feel dirty, like more of a criminal than he already is.

They head to the sitting room and a tension hangs in the air that makes Kent feel jittery. His eyes flicker around, he doesn’t find it particularly easy to look Jack or Alexei. He feels especially tense by the way Alexei keeps looking at him, so hopeful.

Kent wants to curl in on himself like a child. He would give anything to go back up to the awful bedroom, tuck himself into bed, and curl up around Kit.

They talk for a while, mostly Bitty and Mashkov run the conversation with small talk and formalities. They both seemed to have decided to leave Kent lone for the meanwhile. It’s probably for the best, he feels on edge, completely unpredictable. Last time he felt this way he tried to get Jack back.

“Jack, can you come help me put Amelia to bed?” Bitty asks and it’s obviously a clumsily veiled disguise to leave Kent and Mashkov alone. Kent gives his best please, don’t leave me expression, but Bitty turns his nose up in return. Jack follows Bitty out of the room with a slightly confused expression, slow to catch onto his tactics.

Alexei smiles from where he’s sitting in an armchair across from Kent. It’s a pleasant smile, the kind that, in another life, Kent would be all over.

“Hello,” Mashkov says slowly.

Kent frowns but responds, “Hello.”

“You like ring?” Alexei asks, watching as Kent twists it around his finger mindlessly. Kent pulls his hand away when he realises what he’s doing.

“It’s fine,” Kent replies, staring down at the way it catches the light.

“I ask Jack to help me pick out ring but he has very poor taste,” Kent snorts at that and Alexei’s smile grows, “He give Itty Bitty very old looking ring. I tell him Kent Parson will like nice new shiny ring.”

“It is most certainly shinny,” Kent says. He is surprised to find himself smiling.

Mashkov smiles proudly, “I am glad you like.”

Kent has always found he has special talent for ruining perfectly fine moments, especially when he feels under so much pressure, so he feels the sudden need to blurt out, “I don’t want marry you. I don’t want this ring. I’m going to jail, I committed a crime and I’m going to jail.”

Mashkov looks slightly startled with the outburst and assures him, “You will not be going to jail, Kenny.”

It feels like an electric shock goes up his spine because no he can’t be Kenny. He’s Kent, Mr. Parson, sometimes even Parse, but he refuses to be Kenny anymore.

“Don’t call me that,” he snaps, “You don’t get to call me that.”

Mashkov face goes from startled to downcast at Kent’s tone, but as soon as the words leave his mouth, Kent looks down at his hands defeatedly. He hates he cruel little part of him that he can’t control and constantly makes him lash out without a second thought.

Kent has always been a mean man, no matter how charming he tries to make himself. He has come to the realization that, deep down inside him, something is objectively dirty and soiled.

“You are not happy,” Mashkov says it as more of a statement than a question.

Kent folds his hands over his chest, slumping back in his chair, “No, I’m not.”

“Sorry,” Mashkov says, “I am sorry you unhappy, what can I do to make you happy?”

He wants to cry, hysterically, while kicking and punching anything in his way. He doesn’t think anyone's ever asked what would they could do to make him happy. Though the words themselves make him want to cry it’s the fact that no one's that ever said them before to him that really makes him tear up.

“I want to be alone,” Kent says, always a glutton for punishment. “Please, just leave me alone.”

Though Mashkov doesn’t hide his disappointment, he does follow Kent’s words. He promises he’ll be back tomorrow and leaves to go say goodbye to Bitty and Jack. Kent ignores Bitty as he tries to insist he have some dinner, brushing him away in favor of returning to his bed.

Kents always been good at playing people, especially himself. He tells himself that everything is going to be fine in the morning, just like before. Like nothing's ever changed.

 

 

 

 

_He’s at a boring meeting at a fancy restaurant. It's not the kind of place he would usually go to, too many people who know way too much about him. Have too many opinions about him, or about his family._

_It takes him a while to realises what's happening, mostly because the first thing that happens is his head grows fuzzy. He feels dizzy, like the room is turning around him and he can’t stand up. He grabs at the table, trying to steady himself in his seat._

_Voices sound far away like he’s hearing them from another room through a wall. There's a hand on his shoulder but he shrugs it off. It’s not what he wants, even in his completely mindless state he knows that much._

_There's a man sitting across from him and Kent's true feelings for him feel like a distant memory and all he can think is ‘alpha’ and ‘knot’. There's someone grabbing at his waist and Kent's legs give out underneath him. He flails for a minute even though his brain's been mostly consumed by want and need._

_He still knows that he doesn’t like this strange alpha sniffing at his scent glands, nuzzling and nipping. The hands around his waist is drifting up his shirt and and he half heartedly tries to wiggle free._

_He loses time, everything becomes a little too fuzzy. Everything feels loud and overwhelming and he doesn’t notice what’s going on until the hands that were on him are gone. They’re replaced by someone griping under his armpits and lifting him up off the ground._

_The first face he sees and recognizes is Jack Zimmerman's. He’s sure his mouth is wide open and his eyes are wide. Jack is walking in front of him, and he can tell he’s talking to whoever is carrying Kent but he can’t make out the words. He tries to lurch forwards to Jack but ends up stumbling back into the mystery man’s arms._

_“Come on, Kenny,” Jack says and Kent's floating up and up, “Try to sit him down.”_

_He’s sitting down in a carriage, leaning up against someone. Jack’s sitting across from him and Kent tries to grab forwards at him. Except Jack doesn’t smell right, or more like he doesn’t smell like anything at all. Kent leans back away from him immediately back towards the other alpha who smell extremely appealing. He moves up and pushes his nose against his scent glands with a fevered urgency._

_“Whats going on?” Kent murmurs trying to nuzzle his way into the alpha's side and then trying to discordantly climb onto his lap._

_“Your in heat, little kotyonok,” the alpha says and Kent finally looks up at him. He recognizes him, one of those people he knows he met in passing. Alexei Mashkov is all dark hair and long limbs and Kent wants to climb him like a tree._

_He curls his finger into the Mashkov hair and starts grinding down on his lap. Alexei hands grab at Kents waist in an attempt to calm him down but lustful Kent proves a force to be reckoned with._

_Mashkov ends up carrying him at some point, which Kent is very okay with because a strong handsome alpha caring him is exactly the kind of thing to turn him on right now. He’s already turned on though, he’s sure his pants are so slick soaked he’ll probably just have to throw them away._

_There are new voices around him, he recognizes Jack’s and two unfamiliar ones. He can see two omegas, one blond and one redheaded, Kent growls at them and wraps himself even closer around Mashkov trying to show his claim._

_“Want you,” Kent murmurs as he’s carried up stairs, but Kent is too busy kissing at his neck to really notice, “I’d be so good for you.”_

_He gets set down on a bed, which is actually where he wants this to go, but when Alexei starts to pull away he panics. Kent tries to grab at him but his bones feel like jello and he’s far to slow. Alexei already out the door be the time Kent scrambles from the bed and Kent throws himself at the door._

_Kent scrambles at the door knob but it only shakes. He belatedly realizes it’s locked and he slams himself into the door, shrieking with a wild fevered energy. He claws at the door, calling for Mashov or Jack or whoever he thinks might be listing._

_Kent hates this, can’t be locked in a room all by himself. He starts crying, loud and unashamed because he’s by himself, he’s completely alone._

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Bitty who wakes him up the next morning, or more Amelia who comes bursting into Kent's room before her father can even step inside. She crawls right onto the bed with him, though she’s after Kit, who looks at her with vague disinterest.

Bitty comes into room only seconds later, standing at the doorway.

“Breakfast is ready if you want to come downstairs?”

Kent shrugs but follows Bitty down the stairs anyways. Kit trails down behind him with Amelia hot on her heels. Jack is already sitting at the table with the newspaper open and a plate of eggs, bacon and toast in front of him. Sitting on the other side of the table is the redheaded omega, who also seems to be reading the paper. He gives Kent a scowl before returning to his paper.

Kent sits down across from Jack while his plate gets loaded up with food. He pokes at it, spreading his food around the plate to make it look like he’s eaten.

“Eggs!” Amelia says from across the table pointing at Kent's plate, “You eggs!”

“Yes, me eggs,” Kent responds easily, taking a small bite from his bacon. Amelia grins back at him while chowing down on her her toast, getting half chewed crumbs everywhere.

“So, Kent,” Bitty begins, forcing Kent to take his attention off of Amelia, “I was thinking we could shopping today, look at some new furniture for your room?”

Kent frowns, “My room? What do you mean my room?”

Bitty gives him a confused look before continuing, “The room you’ve been staying in. Since you're going to be here for a little while, I was thinking that we could pick out some things that you might like.”

“I don’t want to go shopping for furniture for that room,” Kent says sharply, “I want to go home.”

Jack finally looks up from his newspaper, which he sets down carefully beside his plate, “You can’t go home, you're a criminal.”

Kent folds his arms over his chest slouching down in his seat, “And you're so wonderful Jack? You certainly shouldn’t be commenting on my actions.”

“I haven’t ever committed a crime,” Jack glares back at him and Kent feels eighteen again. They would fight viciously, trying to hit the place that would hurt the hardest.

Kent feels particularly cruel and decides to ask, “What, are you jealous? Mad that I never told you?” He knows he’s smiling when Jack gives him a furious look. Before Jack can say anything in response, Bitty takes Jack’s plate from him even though it’s still half filled with food.

“Don’t you think it’s time for you to head to work, darling.”

Jack grumbles and gives Kent a look but follows Bitty’s direction. The redheaded man, who Kent still doesn’t know the name of, heads out of the room not to long after Jack, taking the rests of the newspaper with him.

“Aren't you upset that Jack’s stuck you with his charity case,” Kent doesn’t actually like calling himself a charity case, but he’s trying to hit a nerve and a husband making you take care for their ex lover seems like a pretty easy one to hit.

Bitty sighs and sets Kent with an unimpressed look, “Jack wasn’t the one who wanted to take you in. I was.”

“Oh,” Kent says feeling deflated by that information, “Why would you want me here?”

“I suppose I understand why you did it. I know taking suppressants is wrong and illegal,” Bitty hesitates, looking to the entryway of the kitchen as if someone might walk in, “but if I’d been given the opportunity, I might have been liable to make a different decision. Before my first heat, I used to pray that I wouldn’t be an omega. I didn’t want to just be someone's mate and have someone's babies, I wanted to go on my own adventures.”

Kent nods his head. His life as a businessman, as his own person is over. He’ll be Alexei Mashkov’s mate, he’ll have his babies, be his husband.

“I’m sorry,” Kent says quietly, letting his rough exterior crumble for a second, “I’m just very confused.”

Bitty sets him with a steady look, “Everything is going to work itself out. Don’t you worry.”

 

 

 

 

 

_When Kent gets his first heat he’s twenty. He cries, completely hysterical in a way he hasn’t cried in a long time. The last time he was like this was when he realized Jack was never coming back to him._

_He curls up into himself and pretend like everything fine. Except that he smells different now and everyone will be able to tell what he his. He will lose his spot in the aces, or even worse, it will be given to the first person that is able to claim him._

_He evades anyone who tries to see him for two full weeks until he realises he can’t go on like this. One day, he’ll have to come from his house and figure out how he’s going to lie the rest of his life._

_The idea comes to him in the middle of the night, when he wakes up from an intense dream where some unknown faceless alpha tries to rip his scent glands while he’s taking a bath. He wakes up covered in sweat and on the edge of tears._

_Kent realises that he can’t do this, can’t be an omega for the rest of his life. He thinks back to little less than a year ago, at a dark pub in the middle of the night._

_He puts his idea into action the next night, dressing in clothes his already worn in hopes to mask his smell. He heads to the little pub later than he should, but he has a feeling she won't be there until late, anyways._

_He waits longer than is safe and by the end of the night, he has had more than a few alphas leer at him and one unsuccessfully try to grope him. He should have realised that after a whole year it would only make sense that she’s gone._

_Kent leaves feeling defeated, she never showed up and he’d set his hopes up far to high. He is half way down the street when he hears someone call out to him, “I knew that you would come back eventually.”_

_He turns and there she is, standing in the shadow of someone's doorway. “I don’t know how you knew, but you were right,” he says, feeling so, so tired._

_“It won’t come cheap,” she comes up to him slowly, wrapped in a big jacket with her hands in her pockets._

_“I know,” Kent says, “I can pay.”_

_She nods her head and gives him an appraising look, “How much do you want?”_

_“How much can you give me?”_

_She fishes something out of her pocket, it’s a glass jar filled to the brim. She inspects it carefully before looking back to him, “This about five months worth.”_

_He takes the jar from her and hands her a wad of cash in exchange. She counts the money carefully before stuffing it back into the same coat pocket where the jar had pills had been in. Kent puts the jar into his pocket, hoping it’s not to bulky._

_“What will I do when I need more?” Kent asks, knowing full and well that this is not a problem that will suddenly go away._

_“Meet me here,” she says already starting to back slowly away from him, “at the same time.”_

_Kent nods, part of him wants to ask how she knew he was going to be an omega. He has a strange feeling that she wouldn’t tell him. That seems like the kind of secret one keep very close to their heart._

_He takes one of the pills right away, swallowing it down dry. It burns all the way down but Kent pays little attention to that, most of his focus is on trying to get away from her has fast as he can._

_He’s really not paying that much attention because he trips over something and almost goes flying to the ground. What ever he just hit makes a terrible squeaking noise, almost as bad as the one Kent made himself._

_At first he thinks it’s a giant rat but then after closer inspection that it’s actually a little grey kitten. He crouches down beside it, giving the kitten a careful scratch on the head._

_He’s not totally sure what's going through his brain when he shrugs off the coat and wraps the little kitten in it, lifting it up into his arms. He coos at her, like he’s seen people do with babies and the kitten gives him a unbothered look in return._

_Kent carries her out of the alleyway, and into the low glow of the street light._


	2. Golden lettered books and opera tickets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kent is big enough to admit that he enjoys the attention Alexei has been showering on him over the last week.
> 
> He’s always enjoyed being the center of attention, especially when that attention is anything like Alexei’s. He’s brought him a gift each day he’s visited, which just from the past week has been everyday but one. He has given him chocolate, a journal with gold leafing decorating the cover, and a small little jewelry box decorated with silver and glass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!   
> Thank you for all the comments and kudos, they really motivated me to get the next chapter done. Thank you to Queenrhino for editing this chapter.  
> This whole story is starting to have a lot more Kent and Bitty friendship than i originally planned. I know they don't really like each other that much but honestly i always felt like they would get along even though Kent has a habit of doing problematic things...   
> Well I hope you enjoy!

Kent is big enough to admit that he enjoys the attention Alexei has been showering on him over the last week.

He’s always enjoyed being the center of attention, especially when that attention is anything like Alexei’s. He’s brought him a gift each day he’s visited, which just from the past week has been everyday but one. He has given him chocolate, a journal with gold leafing decorating the cover, and a small little jewelry box decorated with silver and glass.

Kent actually feels bad. While Alexei has been sweet and overly considerate of him, Kent has been the opposite. He’s never been very good at letting people in, he’s too aware of the emotional damage they can cause him. While Alexei might be good for him, Kent can’t manage to take down his shields long enough for either of them to do anything about it.

He’s aloof and distant at best and just on the edge of cruel at any other time. Just as Kent feels himself getting comfortable, he shocks himself out of those feelings, making himself pull away from whatever emotional connection they were starting to form. Kent can’t get emotionally connected, he’s not going to be a fool and put all of his emotions into whatever this thing with Alexei. Alexei may be sweet, but he’s still an alpha and, at that, an alpha who now has complete control over the rest of Kent’s life.

Kent now mostly spends his time moping around Jack’s house, cooking with Bitty, and playing with Amelia. He’s also become rather fond of Dex, whose dry sense of humour complements Kent's self pitying and sour mood rather well.

Whether he’d admit it or not, Kent's been avoiding Jack. Though the tension between the two of them has mellowed somewhat, they still seemed to have decided that it’s best to keep away from each other for the time being.

Somehow, Bitty convinced Kent to come shopping for new furniture for the room that has been dubbed his. He’s not really sure how he’s tricked into going, probably something to do with far too delicious pie. The next thing he knows, Bitty’s pushing a stroller down the street with Amelia sitting happily in it and Kent and Dex are trailing behind him.

“I was thinking green,” Bitty says as he picks up Amelia’s stuffed bear that she just tossed onto the sidewalk, “What do you think of green?”

Kent struggles because he doesn’t have any particular feelings about green. He settles on, “Anything but that horrible pink color.”

“You don’t have to tell me. You should have seen the house when we first moved in. Everything looked at least thirty years old, though it must have looked dated then as well,” Bitty says dramatically.

They go into a cute shop that Bitty claims he swears by. Immediately, one of the sales women comes over and starts chatting Bitty up about the newest arch chair they just received. Dex shrugs over at Kent and they wander off to look at another area.

They both stare at a headboard that has cherubs carefully carved into and try their best not to laugh. The place is a mish mosh of different things, both new and old. It’s homey and not really the usual place that someone who's a Lord would be seen shopping.

“Kent! Dex! Come over and look at this!” Bitty calls from somewhere deep in the store. They both follow the sound, weaving around book cases and dining room chairs to find Bitty.

He’s standing by a green sitting chair with a pattern of yellow and blue diamonds on it and periodic accents of red. It’s a rather nice chair, dark wood edging that keeps it looking clean but still comfortable and cosy at the same time.

“So, what do you think?” Bitty asks motioning at the chair.

Kent turns to Bitty who's giving him a bright hopeful smile and he sighs, “I guess it’s sort of nice.”

Bitty makes an excited little noise, “We can do base the entire room off this chair. I have so many ideas.”

They let Bitty go wild, it seems as though when he’s on a mission there's no way of controlling him. Kent basically spends him time keeping Amelia from going to crazy and confirming whether or not he actually likes whatever Bitty shows him.

In the end, they buy quite a few things, including the armchair, new side table for the bed, a lamp, new sheets, pillows, and a new book case. It all seems like a little much considering in less than two months time, he’ll be married to Alexei and living in his home.

“I don’t understand why you’re buying me all of this,” Kent says when they get back to Jack and Bitty’s house just as Bitty’s taking Amelia from her stroller.

Bitty glances over at him with a sad look, “I just want you to feel comfortable and safe. I know you can’t go back to your home so I wanted to create a second home for you here.”

“Oh,” Kent says quietly at a loss for words, “that's really nice.”

Bitty smiles over at Kent softly as he picks up Amelia whose clutching at Bitty’s shirt and calling, “Potty, daddy! Potty!”

Bitty wrinkles his nose at Amelia and then turns to Kent and gives him the same look as he walks away to take her to the bathroom. Kent heads up to his room, still the same gaudy pink as the furniture isn't supposed to arrive until tomorrow afternoon. He resigned himself to one more day of awful pink furnishings.

He flops down onto the bed and grabs one of the books Alexei had given him yesterday. They are all book from Russia, though translated into English. The books have lovely colored illustrations spread sporadically throughout and the titles swinkel in the bright gold leaf on the front.

He inspects the cover each one carefully before setting them down on the bed beside him and opening War and Peace. He hadn’t noticed that Alexei had written him a inscription the on the title page in scratchy handwriting.

_To my kotyonok,_

_Hope you enjoy this book as much as I did._

_Much affection, your Alexei_

He runs his fingers over the letters, deciding it’s perfectly fine for him to act a little love sick in the privacy of his own room. He’d hate to admit it, but he’s completely charmed by Alexei, proudly to charmed for his own good.

He leans back against ruffly pink pillow, turns to the first page of the book and begins to read.

 

 

 

 

 

 

_Kent is thirteen, he’s always used to being tall for his age but suddenly everyone around him is growing taller as Kent stays the same. He feels awkward and strange, like he’s missing out on something._

_He’s at the dressmaker's, waiting patiently for his sister Katie to decide whether or not she wants her new dress to be blue or yellow. She’s eleven and recently been shooting up like a weed, he wouldn't be surprised if one day she’s taller than him._

_Kent is sulking in the corner, frustrated that his mom forced him to come with them. He shuffles back and forth on his feet, scowling at anyone who passes by._

_Eventually, his mother comes over and grabs him roughly by the collar, “You either wipe that look off your face or you get out of here right this second.”_

_He sneers at her but leaves the dressmaker's shop anyways. He loiters outside for a while before finally wandering down the street and stopping at a little bench by an outdoor restaurant._

_He starts eavesdropping on two ladies having tea but isn’t really paying very close attention until he hears his father's name._

_“You can’t very well blame Lord Parson, alphas just can’t be satisfied with a beta,” one of the woman in a bright pink dress says._

_“Still,” The other woman says, “His poor children.”_

_Kent feels slightly sick because these strangers are talking about him, about his family. It’s not like the ladies are saying anything that Kent hasn’t already thought about. He’s well aware of his parents’ troubled relationship and his father's galavanting around with other people. That doesn’t mean that listening to other people talk about it isn’t horrifying._

_“I’ve heard he was found with a prostitute,” the woman whispers the last word making it sound even more dirty. Making Kent feel even more dirty._

_He knows he should leave, go back to the dressmakers shop and pretend he didn’t hear a single thing. He feels frozen, stuck in place and forced to listen to their horrible words._

_They call his mother other nasty words, most of their reasoning leading back to the fact that she’s a beta._

_“It’s not her fault she’s crazy, her mother was the same way. Probably passed it down to those poor kids.”_

_Kent runs, hurtling his way down the street and back to the dress shop. His mother and sister are just coming out as he gets there, heading down to their carriage. His mother's seizes him by the arm as soon as he gets to them._

_“Where were you?” she says accusatory grip on his arm tightening._

_“No where,” Kent says back. She lets go of his arm setting him with a displeased look before climbing into the carriage._

_“Let's go,” she says and Kent climbs in behind her. He can’t stop thinking about what they said and how dirty they made him feel._

 

 

 

 

 

Alexei gets them all tickets to go to the opera. Kent does his best to act excited, but the truth is he’s dreading it. It’s his first public appearance since everyone learned that he’s an omega, and he’s well aware of what kind of looks he’ll be getting all night. Not only that, but it’s the first time he’ll be out in public with Alexei as a couple.

He's been on edge since Bitty told him about the ticket, and him being one edge is making everyone else be on edge too. Bitty and Jack had been snapping at each other for the last few days and Bitty and Dex have gotten into some passive aggressive fight and aren't speaking to each other.

Kent tries to stay out of Jack and Bitty’s life the best he can, but it’s hard since they’re all living under one roof. It’s also hard because, since Dex and Bitty aren't talking, Kent has seemed to become the person that Bitty now vents to.

He’s lounging in room, trying to settle his nerves about the opera tonight. He’s been to the opera before and he hated it. Kent hasn’t quite built up the courage to tell Alexei how much he hates it, doesn’t want to break his opera loving heart.

Bitty comes into his room and flops down on the bed. It’s easy to forget that Bitty’s still young, barely twenty three. He’s already married and has had a kid, which certainly has aged him in some ways, though not all.

“What are you doing?” Kent asks as Bitty sighs dramatically.

“Laying here,” and then after a moment, “sulking.”

“Where is Jack?” Kent asks. Sulking Bitty seems like something that should be left to him, considering Bitty is his husband. Kent is definitely not equipt to deal with him.

“Out,” Bitty says dramatically before rolling onto his back, “He’s mad at me.”

Kent nods and says, “Okay,” hoping Bitty understands that he really means _please don’t tell me any more_.

Apparently, he doesn’t because he just keeps going, “He’s been mad that I can’t get pregnant. Or, well, not mad, I suppose. He’s frustrated because I’m mad and he doesn’t like that I blame myself for it but who else am I to blame!”

This is really more than Kent wants to be know. Especially because soon enough he’ll be thinking about pregnancy and babies, which he’s really doesn't want to get into.

“Why are you mad that you can't get pregnant?” Kent says with no small amount of regret.

Bitty sits up,”I know how badly Jack wants another baby and I’ve gotten more agreeable to the thought of it. I had trouble getting pregnant the first time, but it’s been two years since Amelia was born so it feels like it should be time.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Kent says, “I don’t know anything about getting pregnant or having babies or that sort of omega stuff.”

“Oh,” Bitty murmurs turning out to look at him, “I forgot you're not used to being an omega.”

They sit for a while, Bitty shifting around in the bed. Kent traces patterns that are on the bed sheet, running his finger against them gently.

“I hate the opera,” he says after a minute.

Bitty turns to him with a surprised look and laughs, “Why didn’t you tell Alexei?”

Kent shrugs, completely at a loss and Bitty begins giggling again. Kents never had a brother and his relationship with his sister has always been rocky, but he’s always imagined it would be like this.

Soon enough, they're getting ready for the opera. Kent finds himself taking longer to get ready than strictly necessary, fussing with his suit and unstoppable cowlick.

By the time he comes downstairs Alexei’s already there, waiting in the entryway and talking to Bitty and Jack. Everyone's dressed in their best, wearing well cut suits and precisely ironed pants.

“Ready to go?” Bitty asks.

The ride to the music house is awkward, Bitty tries to keep up a steady conversation but, between Jack’s sour mood and Kent's general tense feelings about the whole situation, he starts to dwindle into silence. Mostly it’s just Alexei and Bitty talking back and forth, trying to fill the silence.

It’s a relief when they finally arive, leaving the carriage and heading into the chilly air. Kent not quite prepared for Alexei to link their arms together and guide him inside. He supposes it’s only what's expected after their engagement.

Kent is a little paranoid to say the least. He’s always been aware about what other people think of him, usually his own detriment. Entering the music house with Alexei by his side, a ring on his finger, and the knowledge that everyone knows his true nature makes him want to run.

He feels like everyone's’ eyes are on him, watching just to see him mess up again. To be somehow even more of a failure than he already is.

“What is matter?” Alexei asks quietly, noticing now tense he is.

Kent shakes his head, “Nothing, let’s just go find our seats.”

Alexei gives him a questioning look but doesn’t saying anything else. Kent follows Alexei to their seats, sitting down quickly once they arrive. Jack and Bitty follow along not long after, skirting into their seats just as the lights begin to dim ever so slightly.

It only takes Kent about two minutes to remember why he dislikes the opera so much. He finds himself getting bored and feeling squirrely before too long. Kent honestly has completely zoned out until he feels someone else's hand slowly slipping into his.

He turns to look at Alexei, who is still facing the stage, though he still has a small satisfied look on his face. Kent curls his fingers tighter around Alexei and watches as his smile grows.

It feels like a lifetime before intermission finally comes. They head into the lobby to get drinks. Jack and Bitty walk with them until they get occupied talking to an older couple that Kent doesn’t recognize.

Alexei is getting them both drinks when Kent spots him. The man standing across the room talking to a girl and what seems to be her mother. Kent steps back closer to Alexei.

Alexei turns to look at him, “You alright?”

“Do you remember that man,” Kent says nodding over to the man. He watches as Alexei looks to where he just gestured and his face grow stoic.

“Yes, man from restaurant,” Alexei says coldly, “One who try to-"

Kent cuts him off before he can finish, “Yes, his name is Alexander Williams, he’s some rich bastard.”

Alexei gives him a surprised look because of his language but doesn’t disagree. He hands him a drink and Kent grips onto the glass, knuckles going white. When Alexander starts walking over to them Alexei slowly wraps his arm around his hip, gently resting his hand there.

“Lord Parson, Mr. Mashkov, it’s good to see you both here tonight,” Lord Williams says. Kent does his best to scowl at him and he can only hope that Alexei is doing the same, “I hear some congradulations will be in order.”

“Yes,” Alexei says curtly. “We are getting married.”

“To think, how different this could have turned out,” the Lord says and Kent feels shivers run down his spine. He backs up even closer to Alexei, who wraps his arm around him further.

“You tried to…” Kent finds he can’t even say it but he does feel almost at the edge of tears, and also like he wants to punch him in the face.

Alexander gives him a questioning look, “You were in heat, Lord Parson. I would have been helping you. Being mated to me would have been one of the best things to ever happen to you.”

Kent feels disgusted, he wants to spit in his face. The only reason he doesn't attack Alexander is because of Alexei’s tight handle on the back of his jacket.

“You should leave,” Alexei says, “We don’t want you here.”

He doesn't even give him a chance to leave before he takes Kent by the arm and pulls him from the lobby and towards the theater. He leads Kent back to their seats even though they both still have their drink in hand. He feels slightly stunned going easily to wherever Alexei leads him.

They sit quietly side by side until Alexie turns to look at him, “Maybe he is little right.”

“What?” Kent says angrily, “You think I should be mated to that bastard?”

“No, no, no that is not what I mean,” Alexei says, “People respect him, they look at me and they see immigrant trash. You deserve someone like you, a Lord.”

Kent gives him a surprised look. “Alexei, you're just as good as any Lord. People say horrible things about me too, that doesn’t mean anything.”

Alexei smiles at him and slips their hands back together. Jack and Bitty return to their seats seconds later, and he’s pretty sure Bitty gives him a wink when he sees their linked hands.

The opera comes back on and somehow seems even longer than the first half. The only thing that keep him going is Alexei’s warm, though slightly sweaty, hand in his. Still when the lights come back on and he knows he show is finally over he can’t help but feel relieved.

They head back to their carriage with little delay, Jack and Bitty are diprete to make sure that Amelia’s fine and Kent can’t exstuaclly se a reason to dally. He doesn’t particularly want to run into Alexander again, or someone else who has something to say about his new revealed form as an omega.

Jack and Bitty head into the house, a quickly disguised excuse to give him and Alexei some space. Kent takes it, he’d like a more private goodnight.

Him and Alexei stand in the entryway, still dressed in their warm overcoats. Alexei smiles down at him, it’s not until their standing side by side that Kent really notices how much taller Alexei is than him. Kent not that short, specially for an omega but Alexei still towers over him.

“Did you enjoy the opera?” Alexei asks, taking both of his hands in his.

“I…” for a second Kent thinks he’ll lie, tell him that he loved the show. It feels wrong though, to lie, they could be married for the rest of his life and he doesn’t think he can spend all that time pretending to love the opera, “I don’t like opera, it’s just… I hate it. Sorry.”

For a second he thinks Alexei’s mad until he he breaks the silence with a loud laugh, “Little kotyonok, why did you not tell me you hate opera. Could have done something else.”

“Sorry, you seemed so excited,” Kent says and he’s sure he’s blushing.

He’s not prepared of Alexei to press a gentle kiss to hs lips, curling a hand around the side of his face. Kent kisses back, reaching up to wrap his arms around alex's neck. It’s an easy kiss, with all the blind fury and kent used to from people he’s been with in the past.

Still when they pull back Kent feels a little out of breath. Alexei is smiling down as him, hand still wrapped around his waist and leaning over him. Kent knows he’s smiling up at him, probably flushed completely pink. He’d blame all the omega hormones running through his system, but he has a feeling it’s a little more than that.

“I suppose it's goodnight,” as much as part of Kent wants to drag him up to bed he knows he can’t. He’s also pretty sure that alexei wouldn’t anyways, if he resisted Kent in heat he’s certainly resist him now.

Alexei kisses him once more, quickly and softly before stepping back from him. He murmurs goodnight quietly, before heading out the door.

Kents confused about what he’s feeling. The last time he felt something like this was when he was with Jack, all fluttery inside like he just can’t contain himself. It’s make him so anxious, he’s not quite sure he’s ready to get attached.

 

 

 

 

 

Kent’s always been good at making acquaintances but never very good at making friends. He’s good at talking to people at parties, in passing. Light hearted gossip and silly little anecdotes from his life.

The first friend he ever made was Jack. Than Jeff, and maybe now Bitty, and possibly some day Alexei. There was a time that he thought Jack would be his only friend, that all he would ever need is Jack’s friendship.

Once Alicia Zimmermann had told him that the best part about being married to Bob what getting to be married one of her best friends. Kent had always believed that it was a clear sign that him and Jack should be together.

After Jack had been Jeff, although Kent was quite aware their friendship had started out of pity. Kent had been a lonely eighteen year old trying to find out where he fit with the Aces. Jeff was a few years older and understood that Kent still wasn’t quite ready to take care of himself.

He was best man at Jeff’s wedding, lived at his house for a while. They had been better friends than him and Jack ever were.

Kent has been worried that Jeff would hate him. Part of him wouldn’t even have blamed him if he did.

He should have known better because two weeks after his heat, Jeff comes to visit. Kent is ecstatic, even though as much as he appreciates Bitty’s sweet friendship, it’s not the same. Jeff understands him in a way that only comes from years of knowing someone.

He’s a little surprised when Jeff gives him a tight hug and says, Parser, how have you been?”

Kent gives him a look, “Not great."

“I can imagine,” Jeff says, “I’m really sorry. I wish there was something I could do to make this easier.”

“Thanks,” Kent says, he can tell that Jeff really means.

“I came here because Mashkov came and asked me for a favor. He wanted to know if you could have the reception at my house.”

Him and Alexei haven’t really been talking about the wedding, in all honesty Kent doesn’t really want anything to do with it. He knows Bitty had been helping Alexei with the plans; while apparently Bitty couldn’t stand planning his own wedding he loves planning Kents.

“Would you mind?” Kent asks. Kent remembers Jeff’s wedding, the reception had been nice and small, which is actually what Kent was looking for. He can only think of a handful of people he’d actually want there.

Jeff smiles,“Of course I wouldn't.”

Kent knows he’s smiling back when he asks, “And you’ll be my best my best man, right?”

“I’d love to.”

Kent never imagined that he would get married. While one night affairs were safe, the suppressants that dulled his scent didn’t completely nullify it; too much time spent in close quarters with someone put his secret at risk. Not only that, but he couldn't keep his secret from a mate, it would be far too deceptive.

So, in some ways, Kent had already planned his life as a bachelor, and it’s not like he was extremely desirable anyways. Both his family name and his status as a beta brought his reputation down far enough that, to most, his money couldn’t make up for it. Those who did like his wealth weren’t the kind of people he was looking to marry.

While being seen as a beta had its limitation, it was always above being an omage. At least as a beta, his personal freedom wasn’t completely taken away, he could still be part of the Aces. Most of the things he’s done would have never been possible under his true designation.

“He’s a good man,” Jeff says after a minute, “Mashkov, I think he can make you really happy if you let him Kent. And please, please, try to let him.”

Jeff had set him up with more people than seemed possible. Even after years of resistance, Jeff has always believed that Kent would find someone perfect, find someone that he could love.

Kent nods, “I’ll try. I really want to try.”

Jeff smiles at him from where he’s sitting across from him. It feels slightly surreal, they’ve talked like this a million times before, in Kent’s house, in Jeff’s, or at a restaurant or club. Now, they’re taking in Jack Zimmerman's house, a place neither of them ever really thought they would be.

“I’m splitting my shares in Aces Enterprising between you and Alexei. I spoke to my lawyer yesterday and he said I still have the right to do that,” Kent says, changing the subject to something he’d prefer to talk about, but not by much. Kent owns a large amount of the company, he wasn't one of the original investors and has always been on the one to really push to make it so successful.

“Parser, I don’t know what to say,” Jeff murmurs, “Thank you, truly. This means a lot.”

“There's no one else I trust more than you,” Kent admits. Out of all the people Kent works with, he trusts Jeffs opinion the most. When Kent wasn’t sure what to do next or how to fix a problem, Jeff always had a solution. With more shares, Jeff's opinion will hold more weight in his next venture.

They talk a bit longer, mostly about what direction Kent sees the Aces going. It only helps to solidify his decision about giving half his shares to Jeff, knowing that he still values his opinion and isn’t treating him any different that when he was seen as a beta.

Everyone so far has treated him differently, even Bitty, though his treatment now is on the much more pleasant side. Jeff is the only one who’s treating him actually the same, like nothing ever changed at all.

Jeff is one of the few alphas he’s ever trusted. While heats and scents might have been a surprised, his weariness, though oftentimes attraction, to alphas had never been stopped. Even alphas that he has known for years could quickly make him on edge.

Jeff never made him rethink trusting him, always made him feel comfortable.

They hug again before they leave, more physical contact than he’s used to but it’s pleasant nonetheless. Jeff promises to come back soon to talk more about the Aces.

He wanders down to the kitchen after Jeff leaves. Dex, Amelia and Bitty are all down there, though as far as Kent can see no baking is actually going on. He sits down at the kitchen table and watches as Bitty sews the button eye back onto Amelia’s stuffed bear.

“Did you have a good talk?” Bitty asks as he passes the newly fixed bear back to Amelia, who clutches it tightly.

“Yes, we worked out some things,” Kent replies.

Bitty smiles brightly at him, “I’m glad. Would you like to help me roll out pie dough.”

Kent struggles, it’s not like he really has anything better to do. He helps Bitty roll out the dough, which is not something he knew you could do wrong but somehow he does anyways. Even though Bitty keeps criticizing his pie rolling technique, Kent has a good time, a better time than he’s had in a long while.

 

 

 

 

_Kent was fourteen when he realised that he didn’t really know his father at all. He’d always been completely absent at best and neglectful at worst. His mother was hardly any better, though at least she had been there._

_Recently, Kent had met Jack Zimmermann, a slightly chubby kid who was only starting to fit into his body and grow into himself. Kent loved him, more fiercely than he had ever loved anyone before._

_He was jealous though, intensely so, of Jack and his father’s close relationship. Even though Jack often complained about his father, Kent couldn’t help but wish he had that with his own parents. He didn’t even know his father enough to be able to complain about anything._

_Jack’s dad was great, far more interest in Kent's life than his own father had ever been. He asked him questions and actually listened to the answers._

_So he loved Bob Zimmermann too, not the way he loved Jack of course, but in a way he hadn’t loved anyone before._

_He loved his mom, in a twisted painful sort of way. He loved his sister and knew that she loved him. His father was always to distant for Kent to even really form an attachment too. Jack and Bob, they were the first people Kent had chosen to love._

_Maybe it had been naive of him had believed that it would never change. Bob Zimmermann had been like a father to him and because of that he never really stopped loving him._

 

 

 

 

 

Alexei’s over and forcing him to talk about wedding stuff. Kents been moping around, only slightly overdramatic. Alexei keeps giving him unimpressed looks and Bitty, who's taken the title of head planner, seems to be completely ignoring Kent.

They’re going over the guest list and Kent doesn’t really see why they have to spend so much time on it. He can quickly name the people he really wants there: Jeff, his wife Anne, Bitty, Dex, his sister Katie, and Bob and Alicia Zimmermann.

Alexei, of course, has about two dozen people he wants there, most of them people who are part of Falconer Telephones. It’s also obvious Alexei’s disappointed that none of his family can come, all of them still living in Russia. He keep insisting he’s fine but it’s clear that it’s not.

“We need to invite your parents,” Alexei says as they go over the guest list one more time.

“No,” Kent blurts out, “I don’t want my parents there.”

Both Alexei and Bitty give him a surprised look.

“Kent, what are you talking about? They’re your parents, we should invite them,” Bitty insists.

Kent turns to Bitty, “Please don’t. Invite whoever you want, just not my parents.”

“Kent, I have already told parents about engagement. They will wonder when no invitation comes,” Alexei says.

It’s hard to explain to people who have good relationships with their parents what it’s like. Bitty writes his mom letters nearly everyday and Alexei’s heartbroken at the prospects that his own parents won’t be at the wedding. It’s hard for them to understand why kent wouldn’t want them there.

“Who's going to walk you down the aisle?” Bitty asks.

Kent doesn’t know how to explain that in all the wedding scenarios he’s ever envisioned not a single one of them featured his father walking him down the ail. He doesn’t expect Jack to suddenly join the conversation than, he’s been sitting in an arm chair in the corner reading. He has little to no interest in the wedding really, which, knowing Jack’s style, is probably a relief.

“My father will walk him down the aisle,” Jack says without looking up from his book.

Kent can’t help but admit that he’s surprised. Jack was always protective of his parents, and he knows Jack’s not actually his biggest fan. They live in the same house and yet the barely talk to each other.

“Really? That would be okay with you?” Kent almost wonders if he’s having some sick trick played on him.

Jack sets his book down in his lap, “It’s the right thing to do and I know he would be honored.”

Kent almost feels like he’s going to cry. He knows him and Jack will never be friends like they were before, there's too much history between them to ever make that possible. Still this feels like something, more than something. “

Thanks Jack,” Kent says and Jack gives him a little smile, “Truly, thanks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will probably out in about a week.


	3. An Almost Perfect Wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was the only part of the wedding Kent decided himself. Sure, Bitty had gone with him to pick it out and get it fitted, but this had been the only suit Kent wanted.
> 
> Now, in the privacy of his own room with his wedding suit laid out on the bed, he tries it on. He admires himself in his mirror, twisting this way and that. White has never been his color - he’s too pale and his hair is too light for it to really make him look anything but washed out. He looked handsome now, though. A blushing bride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments and kudos and to the wonderful Queenrhino for editing this chapter. 
> 
> hope you enjoy!

In one week, Kent is going to get married. It’s almost unreal; less than two months ago Kent was living as a beta. Today, he just picked up his wedding suit. It wasn’t like anything he had worn before, with beautiful, white silk and embroidered flowers with gold buttons. It was meant to accentuate his waistline while making his shoulders look smaller as well.

It was the only part of the wedding Kent decided himself. Sure, Bitty had gone with him to pick it out and get it fitted, but this had been the only suit Kent wanted.

Now, in the privacy of his own room with his wedding suit laid out on the bed, he tries it on. He admires himself in his mirror, twisting this way and that. White has never been his color - he’s too pale and his hair is too light for it to really make him look anything but washed out. He looked handsome now, though. _A blushing bride._

Kent has always known he was attractive. Even as a child, he remembers countless adults telling his mother that he looked as lovely as a doll. As he got older and filled into his body, more people had thought he'd be an alpha; compared to most teenage boys, Kent fit into his body perfectly, lean and muscular in all the right places.

Logically, in retrospect, it should have been a sign. Omegas tend to mature faster, coming into their bodies and sometimes giving the illusion that they may be alphas because of their built compared to other children their age.

Kent had been handsome then, though he never lost the prettiness that he had always received compliments for. As others had grown, Kent had stayed the same, not an alpha or an omega.

He once remembered someone telling his mother that he would make a lovely omega. He was seventeen then, still desperately wishing that he would be an alpha. He craved control and he knew that alphas had all of it.

Dressed in his wedding suit, Kent has never felt more like an omega, looked more like an omega. He can’t tell if he likes it or hates it.

He’s just about to start taking it off when someone knocks at his door. He assumes it’s Bitty, who always knocks though there's usually no reason for it.

“Come in,” Kent calls without thinking. He’s hoping Bitty finally finished his blueberry pie, it’s Kent’s favorite and Bitty has been trying to perfect the recipe for his column in the newspaper for the past week. He’s made about a dozen pies. Kent has been in pie heaven.

Who he’s not expecting to see on the other side of the door is Alexei. Kent makes a loud squeaking noise in surprise, the sound sort of resembles the of a goose.

“Cover your eyes!” Kent shouts and Alexei does so without a second though, throwing his hands over his eyes. “I’m wearing my wedding suit! Seeing it before the wedding is bad luck!”

Alexei is laughing and still covering his eyes. Kent finds himself laughing too.

“I will go downstairs, meet you there,” Alexei says closing the door. Kent tries his best to change quickly out of his wedding suit without wrinkling it and back into his regular clothes. He hangs it up carefully in his closet before leaving his room.

Kent finds Alexei sitting in the drawing room, a giant clothing box beside him on the couch. Kent sits down across from him eyeing the box slightly wearily.

Before either of them can say anything, Bitty comes bustling into the room with a slice of blueberry pie in each hand. He sets it down on the coffee table, giving them both a slightly panicked look.

“I fear I've forgotten how to bake,” Bitty says. “The crust is all wrong.”

“It looks fine,” Kent assures and Bitty rolls his eye before leaving the room. It’s not like Kent's much a judge of of pie anyways, he almost always thinks it’s amazing.

Alexei talks about work as they eat their pie. It makes Kent feel a little nostalgic and slightly agitated; not only is he no longer able to run his business but he’s giving half of what he owned to Alexei.

Kent is just about to express his agitation when Alexei gives him a wide smile, “I have brought you gift.”

He passes the box to Kent, who quickly takes the lid off and takes out the tissue paper inside. Sitting inside is what looks like a fabric crown, there's intricate beading in gold silver and blue. He pulls it from the box, holding it up to admire.

“What is it?” Kents never seen anything like it before. He’s not even entirely sure what it is for.

“It is Kokoshnik, they are traditional in Russia. It is for you to wear at wedding,” Alexei explains. Kent tries his best to put it on but must end up looking like a fool because Alexei says, “Come, I will help you.”

Kent goes to sit on the couch beside Alexei, who helps situate the Kokoshnik on his head. It a little heavy, though that's mostly due to the beading. Other than that it fits him perfectly.

“It's beautiful,” Kent says and Alexei smiles proudly.

“I tell my mama I am getting married and she and aunts make for you. Each bead means year of good marriage,” Alexei explains.

Kent smiles, “I suppose we're going to have many good years of marriage, than.”

Alexei takes his face in his hands and kisses him softly. Kent is having none of that, though. He doesn’t know how to do slow and he can’t say this is the moment he wants to find out.

Before he’s really thought about it he finds himself wrapping himself around Alexei, scooting over so he can curl himself into his lap. Alexei quickly responds by trailing kisses down Kent’s neck and pulling him even closer. They’re grinding against each other uncoordinatedly and with little attempt, but Kent can already tell that Alexei is hard in his pants.

They’ll be married soon so Kent sees no reason to stop and finds that, even if they weren’t engaged, he still wouldn’t. Alexei is certainly not the first person he’s been with, not even the first alpha. The only difference is Kent's not on suppressants, which means he can feel himself getting slick.

It feels strange, he’s never been wet outside of heat and he’s not used to the feeling. He feels even more sensitive than normal, he’s not sure if it’s because of Alexei or if it's part of being an omega. He finds himself moaning as Alexei squeezes his ass and grinds their dicks together with more fervor.

Alexei is just beginning to curl his fingers up Kent’s shirt and onto the bare skin of his back when a loud yelp comes from across the room. They pull away from each other so violently that Kent almost falls backwards off Alexei’s lap.

Bitty is standing at the doorway, blushing furiously and looking slightly horrified. “You can’t do that here! Not on my couch! Get off my couch!”

Kent scrambles his way off of Alexei’s lap and throws himself into an armchair across from him. Alexei has the good grace to look sheepish while Kent can’t help but feel slightly smug about it all.

“Sorry Bitty,” Alexei murmurs looking down at his lap.

“Mr. Mashkov, you get out of my house right now. You’ll be married in a week for goodness sake, you’ll be able to do that whenever you want,” Bitty chastises. Some of Bitty’s horrified shock has gone, but there's still enough edge in his voice to make Alexei make a hasty retreat. He gives Kent one last look before leaving, sweet and completely adoring. It makes something within him tighten up.

Kent tries to flatten his shirt back down but it stays completely wrinkled and says, “I never knew you were such a prude.”

Bitty rolls his eyes, “I don’t quite understand how not wanting you to have sex on my couch makes me a prude. I sit there everyday, and I don’t want to look and finds stains.”

Kent snorts, “Like you and Jack haven’t done it here.”

“It’s my home, when you are married, you and Mr. Mashkov and do whatever you want wherever you want in your own home.” Bitty is blushing slightly and Kent can only guess it’s from the subject matter. Sex is a much more taboo topic for omegas. Kent's sure Jack was the only person Bitty has ever been with. Hell, Bitty probably never talked about sex, let alone experienced it, until their wedding night.

Kent doesn't think it’s fair; alphas are allowed to explore before they get married, there are no allusions that they have to be pure on their wedding night.

“I hate being an omega,” Kent says suddenly with slightly more drastic force than is really necessary. He does hate being an omega, hates feeling weak and out of control.

Bitty gives him an understanding look, “I wish I could tell you that it gets better or gets easier, but it’s hard. It’s hard being an omega, even in marriage.”

“Do you ever regret leaving America?” Kent doesn’t know all that much about Bitty's life back in America save for little anecdotes here and there. He hasn’t even a clue why he really left.

Bitty looks surprised for a second before setting him with a determined look, “No, not for a single second. My life is infinitely more times better here than I ever thought it could possibly be.”

“I wish I could go back in time,” Kent admits. ”There are so many things that I would do differently.”

Bitty wraps him up in a sudden hug. Kent’s not used to hugging. He knows heated kisses and strong handshakes, but definitely not hugging. He feel awkward and strangely out of practice.

“I know the past might seem really good right now,” Bitty says seriously, “but maybe the future could be too.”

 

 

 

 

 

_Once when they were just children, Katie told Kent she was never going to get married. She’s always been strong willed, defiant, and completely uncontrollable. She was always too definaint for a conventional omega, she should have been alpha or, at the very least, beta._

_Still, at the age of twenty one, Katie puts on a big white dress and asks Kent if he would walk her down the aisle. She looks beautiful and he tells her she looks like a princess from a fairy tale. She blushes happily at that comment, playing with the folds of her dress._

_“Remember when we were kids and you told me you were never going to get married,” Kent says, taking a drink of champagne. It was originally given to Katie to calm her nerves, but Kent has quickly taken it._

_She laughs, “Back then we were going to get our own ship and sail around the world as pirates.”_

_Kent laughs, having forgot all about that. They had a lot of plans like that when they were kids. Any idea that could get them as far away from home was of great interest to them._

_“You’re happy though, he makes you happy?” Kent asks. Her finance is tall, easy going, and, from what Kent's seen, extremely mellow. He mostly seems to lumber along after Katie, letting her boss him around. Some would probably think that he’s the omega and she’s the alpha if it wasn’t for the fact that he’s about five inches over six feet and towers over her._

_“Thomas is great,” Katie's says, trying to get one of her tendrils of hair to curl even more, “I honestly don’t know how I got so lucky.”_

_“He’s the lucky one,” Kent says, taking another sip of his champagne. As much as Katie gets on his nerves and drives him up a wall in their childhood, he still loves her. She’s wonderful, certainly turned out much better than he did._

_“You’ll find someone one day, someone who’s perfect for you,” she says confidently. Kent doesn’t know how to tell her that he already thought he found someone who was perfect, and they didn’t want him._

_“Maybe,” Kent says, “Katie, I have to tell you something.”_

_She turns to look at him and he feels his nerves spike; he’s never told anyone this before._

_“Katie, I’m an omega.”_

_“What?” she says loudly, “what do you mean? When did this happen? Are you… Are you completely sure?”_

_He gives a bitter laugh, “Of course I’m sure. I’ve been taking suppressants so I won't have heats or a scent.”_

_“You could go to jail,” Katie says, giving him a wide eyed look. He’s well aware of the consequences if he ever gets found out._

_“I know,” Kent looks down at the ground, “I just couldn’t hold the secret in anymore. It was starting to hurt. I was worried I'd tell the wrong person.”_

_Kent had almost spit it out a hundred times in the last week: to Jeff, to the man sitting across from him at dinner and who later came home with him that night, to a random woman on the street._

_He’s not prepared for Katie to wrap him up in a tight hug. They’ve never been particularly physically affectionate. Mostly because no one ever taught them how. She squeezes him tight and he almost feels like crying. He curls himself around her, clutching her like he’s a child._

_“Let's get you married,” Kent says and they pull away. She gives him a slightly hysterical laugh and a teary little smile._

_Kent walks her down the ail, trying his best not to trip or do something equally embarrassing. Their parents are sitting in the front pew, traditionally a father walks their child down the aisle, but he had been happy to give up the job. Even now he looks bored and slightly agitated, like he rather be anywhere else._

_Kent gives her a kiss on the forehead before letting her go and, in return, she gives him a quick but tight hug. She practically skips up onto the altar. Thomas gives her a dopey in love look before taking her hands in his._

_The wedding is beautiful, the reception even more so. Kent has never has liked weddings, but he can’t help but like this one._

 

 

 

 

Today, Kent getting married. He wakes up before dawn to Bitty throwing open his door and handing him a piece of pie. Apparently, pie for breakfast on your wedding day is a Bittle family tradition. Kent almost points out that he’s not a Bittle but he’s not one to turn down a piece of pie.

Bitty and Dex help him get ready, and Amelia walks around his room meticulously removing everything and putting it on the floor. It would bother Kent but in a few hours he’ll be living in Alexei’s house.

It hasn’t quite hit him yet, he still feels a little bit dazed by the prospects of it all. He feels just on the edge of numb as Bitty tries to flatten down his cowlick and Dex tried to figure out what to do with the Kokoshnik.

It still feels far too early when they climb into the carriage and head to the church. Katie meets them outside, in her blue bridesmaid dress that she insisted on picking out herself, claiming Kent has no taste.

She gives Kent a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. His two nieces, Diana and Victoria both give him a warm hug, though it's more of his legs than anything else. He smiles down at them; they're twins and extremely cute, but also little monsters. They’re going to be flower girls and Jack has a hard time believing that they won't cause trouble of some kind.

Katie's husband, Thomas, gives him a handshake before trying to corral the girls away from him. Katie and Bitty are talking animatedly and Kent has a feeling that's a very dangerous combination.

He spots Bob and Alicia getting out of their carriage. Bob waves him over and Alicia gives him a wide smile as he approaches, both wrapping Kent in a tight hug. “

We are so happy to be here,” Alicia says, “Thank you for inviting us.”

“Of course, I’m really happy that you could come and, you know… walk me down the aisle,” Kent says, motioning to Bob.

“I’m honoured, Kent, really I am,” Bob says, giving him a hearty pat on the back.

Bob and Alicia have always been more of parents to him than his real parents. It seems only right that they are the ones that are here right now.

They're all standing in the entryway of the church. Just on the other side of the doors in Alexei, standing at the altar and waiting for him. Jack gives him a hug, which suprises Kent so much he almost forgets to hug back. Slowly him and Jack have been becoming closer, mending their relationship a little bit.

Bitty and Katie keep trying to mess with his suit, make sure everything’s perfect. Eventually, it takes Jack practically pulling Bitty off of him and getting him line before he stops.

Bob gives his hand a squeeze and gives him a reassuring look. Kent shifts back and forth, his nerves flaring and his palms sweating. It’s still hard for him to imagine that, right now, he is beginning the rest of his life.

When the doors to the church open, the first thing he sees is Alexei. He gives Kent a wide smile and Kent tries his best to give one back. It feels like it takes Kent a century to get to the altar, to Alexei.

Bob gives him one last smile before passing him off to Alexei, who grips Kent's hand tightly in his. The minister starts droning on. Kent has never been particularly religious, as a child they used to go to church but as he got older hey fell out of that habit. Kent is not really interested in all this extra ceremonial stuff, he’d just like to get married.

Kent repeats after the minister when he has to, and trades simple golden rings when they're instructed. When the minister informs that they can kiss, it is with slightly more energy than Kent is prepared for. Kent kisses Alexei back just as hard and can feel Alexei smiling into it.

He takes Alexeis hand in his as they walk down the aisle and right into their carriage. Alexei pulls him close as they enter the carriage, kissing him again and again. It’s not very coordinated, it’s hard to be when stuck in the carriage, but it’s good nonetheless.

“I honestly can’t believe that we just got married,” Kent breathes. His whole life feels a little surreal as the moment. Kent can’t help but giggle as Alexei kisses him on the cheek and then moves down to kiss him on the jaw.

“Yes, very crazy,” Alexei says, though he seems to be much more interested in kissing than reflecting.

They take the long way to Jeff's house, he can only assume it is to give everyone a chance to get there before them. Kent doesn’t really mind though, he’s turned on enough right now that he’d skip the reception.

Still when they get there, they have a good time. The beginning of the reception is relativity formal, with all the normal traditions that come with it. The reception isn’t exactly fun but it’s certainly not horrible, Kent can still easily imagine more preferable activities.

He ends up having the best time after most of the guests leave. The majority of people there has been people Alexei works with and people Kent doesn’t know. As the afternoon turns to early evening only a few of the guest are left, including Bitty and Jack, a few of Alexeis friends and, of course, Jeff.

Kent’s been matching Alexei almost drink for drink; the problem is they have a large difference between how much they can handle. Kent is definitely edging past tipsy and fully into drunk, and at some point moved from his own seat into Alexei’s lap.

Bitty’s and Jack are dancing, mostly Jack has lifted Bitty completely off his feet and is twirling him around. Katie’s has been drinking wine like there’s no tomorrow, and he’s hoping Thomas has been giving her water throughout the evening.

By the time they leave, it’s been dark out for a few hours and Kent’s legs practically feel like jelly, meaning Alexei has to half carry him to the carriage. He acts a little more limp than necessary because he he finds that he really likes the feeling of Alexei carrying him.

When they get to Alexei’s house, he tries to drag Kent up the stairs but, at some point, lifts Kent up over his shoulder. Kent starts hysterically giggling and pinches at Alexei’s butt and laments, “Your ass is so pinchable. Wanna pinch it all day.”

Alexei snorts, “Your butt is very pinchable too.” He flops Kent down, who starfished across the center of the bed. The sheets are nice and soft and he feels Kit jump up onto the bed beside him, curling up against his side. He half heartedly tries to pet her but ends up just wiggling down in the bed more.

“Alexei,” he whines, “I can’t get my pants off, help me.”

Alexei laughs and tries to get out of his suit and into his pajamas. He’s pretty sure his pajama pants might be on backwards but it's better than he could have done.

He feels Alexei curl up under the covers beside him then try to get him under the covers as well. It takes a lot of wiggling and some flopping around but he finally does make his way under the covers.

Alexei curls up around him, “Goodnight, kotyonok.”

“What does that mean?” Kent asks turning to face Alexei whose face is half smashed in a pillow.

“It means kitten, you know, like tiny cat. Not like your Kit, she is big cat,” Kent laughs at his comment, Kit was tiny when he first found her but now she’s practically four times as big.

“I can’t believe you’ve been calling me such a cute nickname,” Kent teases and he’s pretty sure he sees him blush. “You should teach me how to speak Russian so we can talk about people in front of them and they won't be able to tell.”

“ya khotel by pogovorit' o vas bez vashego vedoma kotenka,” Alexei says in response and Kent frowns.

“What did you just say?” Kent demands but Alexei just shakes his head, “Hey! Tell me.”

Alexei just rolls away from him and Kent whines, “Come on Alexei, I’m your husband, you must tell me.”

Alexei rolls back over and Kent almost thinks the husband card worked until Alexei rolls right on top of him, almost crushing him, “Go to sleep.”

Kent tries to wiggle out from under him but when it proves to be impossible, Kent gives up. He eventually falls asleep to the feeling of Alexei breathing against him.

 

 

 

 

 

He wakes up the next morning with a large arm wrapped around his waist and a pounding headache. Alexei’s nose is tucked in the curve of his neck and shoulder, pressing up against his scent glands. Kent is turned on, but his powerful headache makes him crawl his way out of bed.

Alexei tries to grab at him, groaning as Kent wiggles out of grip and wraps himself in a robe before heading out of the room.

He wanders around the house, he’s only been here once before and didn’t really have time to explore. Kent eventually finds himself in the kitchen, he’s gotten used to spending time there with Bitty. There's an older woman, who gives him a wide smile as she sees him in the doorway.

He approaches slowly, like one trying to approach a timid animal to they won't spook it. He feels more like the timid animal though.

“You must be Kent,” she says with an accent that Kent assumes is Russian, “I am Antonina, I cook for Alexei.” He’s never known someone's cook who calls them by their first name, Kent can only assume from that that their relationship is more complicated than it seems.

“Hello, I was just looking for some food. I drank a little much last night,” he cringes at his comment and hopes she doesn’t think that he’s some terrible drunk.

“A wedding isn’t good unless you drink a little too much,” she says, giving him a slight smile, “I remember my own wedding, could barely lift my head next morning.”

“You’re married?” most of the cooks and maids he’s known aren't married, it’s not a profession that allows for romantic relationships. Kent imagines that she must have gotten married before she even came to England.

She nods, “Yes, he looks after house when Alexei goes away on trips. Maybe not so much if Alexei has such handsome husband to watch house.”

Kent blushes under the compliment but wonders how much Alexei’s told them about him, “How long have you known Alexei.”

“I know Alexei very long time, since he was very young man. I have helped raise him where his own parents could not,” she says, chopping up vegetables. She reminds him a little bit of his grandmother. She was a confident woman, once had been one of the most famous socialites. She’d never really lost the confidence that came with that.

“Did you know Alexei’s family?” he asks. Alexei has only told him a little bit about his family, but nothing substantial. Kent is looking for any information he can get without having to ask Alexei about it.

She shakes her head, “I have never met them in person, but i have wrote them many times. Alexei’s father is not happy he married you, wanted him to win nice russian omega.”

The comment stings a little bit, but he finds that he appreciates her honesty. He wouldn’t be very happy if his child was marrying someone like him, he’s not particularly nice nor Russian. He can’t imagine Alexei’s father would like anything about him.

Actually, Kent still not entirely sure why Alexei would even want to be married to him. He understand some of the logistics of their situation, of course. Alexei saved him from a situation that could have gone much worse. Still he doesn’t really see what Alexei gets out of this. Sure, Kent's attractive, but nothing out of the ordinary. Kent is still trying to understand how all of this worked out.

“Why didn’t Alexei marry a Russian omega?” Kent asks, figuring Alexei had plenty of opportunities to get married before he met Kent.

“Alexei not love Russia like his family want him to. He love England and now he love English boy.”

Kent feels himself flush slightly at her comment. He doubts Alexei loves him and he wouldn’t be surprised if he never does. Kent sits at the kitchen table as Antonina makes him a tray to take up to Alexei for the both of them. She passes him the tray as soon as she’s stacked it up with food, setting him with a watchful look.

She sniffs the air for a minute, setting the tray down into his hands, “You are going into heat, I can smell it on you.”

Kent did notice that he felt a little more turned on than he usually does, and maybe he did wake up feeling a little slick and hard in his pants. He didn’t think too much about it, too consumed by his headache to pay much attention.

He scurries back up the stairs to his room before she can say anything else. The idea of having another heat makes him feel embarrassed and anxious. He hates the uncontrollable desperation that comes with having a heat.

Alexei looks to be just waking up when Kent comes into their room, curling back up into their bed after setting down the tray of food. Alexei wraps himself around Kent, warming his hands under Kent’s shirt and pressing his face against Kent's scent glands.

Alexei lets out a humming noise and says, “You smell good.” Kent yelps when Alexei licks the side of his neck.

“You stink,” Kent lies. Alexei actually smells wonderful: a little musty from a full night of sleep, but good nonetheless. Kent wants to cover himself in his scent.

They eat quietly, Alexei trying to nuzzle himself as close to Kent as physically possible. The part of his brain nearing heat is going insane over the fact that a young handsome alpha is showering him in affection.

He allows himself to enjoy Alexei’s attention, at least on a base level. Kent has already decided that he won’t get to attached to Alexei and instead leave a careful boundary between them. Still, it's hard to resist the soft kisses that Alexei is giving him.

Before he knows it, he’s laying horizontally on the bed with Alexei between his legs, just barely grinding against him. Kent already can tell that he’s slick, feeling a little gross and over heated. He pushes lightly against Alexei’s chest, trying to give himself some space.

“Kotyonok? Are you alright?”

“I…” Kent curls up in on himself, “Please don’t leave, promise you won't go. I can’t go through my heat alone again.”

Kents sounds as desperate as he feels, just on the edge of hysterics. He hates the feeling of being out of control and empty. He can’t stand to have Alexei just tease him and then leave him.

“Won't leave, promise I won't leave,” Alexei murmurs back. “Make you feel good. Take good care of you.”

“Okay,” Kent says softly, pulling Alexei down for a heated kiss. Alexei kisses him back with equal energy and enthusiasm taking his own shirt off and trying to do the same to Kent’s. With the momentary reprieve, Kent admits, “I hate the feeling of being so desperate and empty.”

With a cheeky smile Alexei says, “As long as I am here, you won't be empty for very long.”

Kent wrinkles his nose at Alexei’s comment and rolls his eyes. Alexei snorts as the expression Kent makes, pulling his shirt over his head and placing gentle kisses down his chest until he reaches the top of his pajama pants. Kent moans at the sensation as Alexei starts to tug his pants down.

“You are very beautiful, I have most beautiful husband in all of England,” Alexei practically declares. Kent giggles, feeling just a little bit lightheaded at everything that’s happening to him. He can feel his heat settling in all the way, curling in the pit of his stomach and spreading through his body.

Alexei buries his face in Kent's groin, kissing him there carefully and with a sense of purpose. He takes Kent's dick in his mouth, sucking him with talent that only comes from experience. Kent doesn’t really want to think about Alexei’s past experiences, though there certainly being put to good use.

Kent cries out loudly, he’s already extremely turned on and Alexei sucking his dick like his life depends on it is getting him closer to release faster than he has ever been before. He curls his fingers tightly into Alexei’s mop of dark hair, guiding his movements.

When he comes, Kent moans loudly, pulling at Alexei’s hair right before he does. Alexei grins up at him as Kent tries to catch his breath, feeling even more slick than he did before. He groans, he’s half ready to go back to sleep, take a very long nap, but he knows he won't be able to fall asleep until he gets a little more of the edge off.

“Alexei, I want you to fuck me,” Kent says looking Alexei straight in the eyes, who smiles widely in return.

“Want me inside of you?” he runs a finger past his balls and against the rim of his asshole. Kents legs open wide, giving Alexei room to sit in between them. He slips one finger in, moving it around gently, and Kent lets out a sigh.

Alexei crooks one of his fingers, bumping against Kent's prostate. “Alexei,” Kent whines desperately, “I need more.” Alexei pushes in another finger gently before starting to move them in and out with more vigor than before.

“Come on, Alexei. I can take it. I need it, alpha,” Kent begs as Alexei takes his finger out and kisses Kent with passion, “I’ll be so good for you, promise. Please.”

“I got you,” Alexei murmurs as he gently moves within him. Kent grips at his shoulders as Alexei moves down on top of him. Alexei presses his thumb against one of Kent's nipples, which has never really been a particularly sensitive part of his body but, when Alexei does it, drives him crazy. He almost comes again at that exact moment.

When Kent feels Alexei’s knot start to grow, he comes. Is catches him completely by surprise and he throws his head back as he comes, crying out loudly.

A lot happens after that. Alexei comes hard, gripping at him as he does so. Kent has never been knotted while in heat and comes as a sweet relief; it’s nothing like taking a knot when on suppressants, always on the edge of too painful.

Alexei suddenly bites down hard on Kent's scent glands, which sends a rush of endorphins through him, which are almost enough to cover up the pain of the actual bite. His whole body freezes as sudden emotions rush through him.

Then slowly, he feels it, like someone else is inhabiting just a small part of his body. He doesn’t even know what to do so he starts crying. He’s not sure if they're happy tears or not, too overcome with emotion.

He wraps himself around Alexei, legs wrapped around his hips and hands tugging at his shoulders. Alexei tries to do the same though it’s more than awkward with his knot still swollen in Kent, and they both roll onto their sides.

Neither of them seem to know what to say, so they keep quiet. The only sound is that of their slowly mellowing breathing. Alexei leans forward to kiss Kent on the forehead, curling his fingers into Kents hair and trying to slick down his cowlick. It doesn’t work, but it feels good nonetheless.

Kent drifts off to the feeling of Alexei’s hand in his hair and wrapped up warm in his arms.

 

 

 

 

_Kent is sitting in his grandmother's lap. At eight, he’s just beginning to get too big for sitting in people's laps. Especially his grandmother whose thin and barely taller than five feet meaning that he’s definitely outgrown her._

_Her hair is a mixture of grey and blonde streaks, all done up in an elegant and modern style. She keeps up carefully with the style trends, never forgetting her youth when she was quite the socialite._

_She’s aged well, or at least that’s what Kent has heard people say. Kent’s always thought he looked like her, though, really, he looks like his mother. He much rather prefer to look like his grandmother._

_“Love is stupid,” Kent says stubbornly. His grandmother laughs at his scrunched up little face._

_“Where did you get that very silly notion?”_

_“It just is,” Kent folds his arms over his chest, curling in on himself as his grandmother smiles down at him. He frowns at her smile._

_“One day, you’ll find someone and you’ll love them very much and than you’ll get married,” his grandmother says._

_Kent ponders over that for a few minutes, “Mama and papa are married and they don’t love each other.”_

_His grandmother looks surprised by his observation and pulls him in tightly to his chest. His grandmother is the only one who hugs him like this, with an intensity that actually makes him believe that she loves him._

_“Your life is going to better, my little Kenny, you're going to be happier than they ever were,” his grandmother promises._

_Even at eight he knows he doesn’t want to be like his parents. They seem unhappy, his mother's angry and his father simply absent. The only good future he can picture is one where he turns out nothing like his parents._

_“I still think love is stupid and I think kissing is gross,” his grandmother laughs as he was this, and showers his face in kisses until he begins giggling._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> translation: 
> 
> "ya khotel by pogovorit' o vas bez vashego vedoma kotenka" means "I like to talk about you without you knowing kitten"  
> and a Kokoshnik is a tradition Russian headdress worn by some till the 1900's, they look something like [this](http://www.rusclothing.com/images/detailed/5/kokoshnik-pearly-blue.jpg) and came in an array of colors and patterns 
> 
> comments and feedback always welcomed! next chapter will be in a week or so.


	4. Why Can't Things Be Easy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He has to admit he likes how willingly Alexei indulges his antics. Someone else certainly would have gotten tired of catering to his emotional outbursts and uncontrollable needs. Alexei bared the burden somewhat graciously, though Kent supposes in return he’s getting hot heat-sex for a week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally finished this chapter, sorry for the wait hopefully chapter five will be done within the next week or so but i've been really bus with school so we'll see. this chapters shorter than the previous ones and as the story continues to come to its end the rest will probably be about this length.   
> hope you enjoy this chapter, as a warning theres more direct reference to past child abuse than before to please be aware of that.   
> As always thank you to the wonderful queenrhino for editing this chapter!

Kent’s heat finally seems to be over. He’s completely exhausted, feels like he could sleep for a million years. That is, if he didn’t feel so crusty and if the sheets on their bed didn’t feel equally as crusty.

Kent’s honestly surprised that Alexei’s been able to keep up with him. He’s always has a high sex drive, even when he was on suppressants, and the worst of it comes out during his heat. He’s needy and insatiable and he knows that, at some point, he made Alexei carry him around everywhere they went.

He has to admit he likes how willingly Alexei indulges his antics. Someone else certainly would have gotten tired of catering to his emotional outbursts and uncontrollable needs. Alexei bared the burden somewhat graciously, though Kent supposes in return he’s getting hot heat-sex for a week.

Now, he can finally lay down without heat curling in his belly and slick dribbling down his legs. He buries his face in Alexei’s pillow, drinking in his smell. Just as he feels himself starting to drift off, a large body slumps on top of his.

Kent grunts unhappily and lets out a high pitched whine, “‘Lexei, get off me. I must sleep.”

Alexei nuzzles into him in response, “But you are on my side of bed.”

Kent has never had strong feelings about which side of the bed is his, but Alexei’s insisting makes him stubborn. He presses his face deeper into the pillow and decides he isn’t going anywhere.

Except Kent forgets that Alexei can easily move him; he just rolls Kent over onto the other side of the bed and tucks himself against his back. Kent sighs in defeat and curls into his own pillow.

“Alexei, are you naked?” Kent asks after a moment, trying to look over his shoulder.

“Of course I am. I am always sleep naked,” Alexei responded, wrapping his leg over Kent's body. He yawns directly into Kent’s ear and snuggles closer towards him.

“Stop that,” Kent says, cringing when Alexei blows air into his ear, “I’m going to kick you out of bed if you don’t stop.”

Alexei lets out a little sleepy laugh, “You would never. Love my body too much.”

That makes Kent laugh in turn. Over the last few days, Kent has declared his appreciation for Alexei's body, especially that fact that he can lift Kent up like he weighs as much as a feather. Still, Kent thinks it might be a little presumptions of Alexei to think that that his body would go over a good night of sleep.

He half heartedly swats at Alexei, who gives a deep laugh in return before finally settling down. Kent sighs contently to the feeling of Kit curling up around his feet.

He’s always liked sleeping in bed with someone else, though it’s not something he has much experience with. Still, he’s always liked it, waking up in the middle of the night and not being alone. It’s probably one fo the reasons having Kit in his bed never really bothered him.

Now, of course, the feeling of Alexei warm and completely solid feels like a treat he doesn’t really deserve. He’s half naked himself, an old ragged shirt of Alexei's that is about two sizes too big on him. Even with the shirt all he can focus on is the miles and miles of skin on skin contact.

He wonders if Alexei appreciates it as much as Kent does, though Alexei sure seems to like cuddling just as much. Anytime they're in bed together, he curls up right around Kent before doing anything else.

The strangest part of the last few days has been their bond. He’s listened to people try to describe it before, read books where someone tries to explain it, but everyone always seems at a loss for words. Kent finally understands why is was so unexplainable, it’s such a unique feeling that even he can barely puts words to it.

Earlier that day, wrapped up in Alexei's arms with his knot still deep inside Kent, he covered Alexei’s hand with his own and pulled their hands to his chest.

“I can feel you here. Deep inside here,” Kent whispered.

Alexei had taken Kent’s hand as well and pressed it to his own chest, just over his heart. He takes a shuddering breath and Alexei smiles down at him in return.

 

 

 

 

_Kent gets nightmares nearly every night. He usually wakes up crying, hot tears running down his face as he slips out of bed. He rubs his eyes, stumbling his way down the hallway to his mother's room._

_He pushes her door open, fumbling his way into her dark room and calling out, “Mama”._

_She sits up, eyes squinting to make out his shape in the dark. Her hair’s a mess from sleep and she looks at him with bleary eyes and confusion before finally registering whats going on. She shuffles out of bed, throwing on her long silk robe and gripping him by his upper arm._

_She starts pulling him back down the hallway towards his bedroom, “I told you not to get up tonight, you're too old for nightmares.”_

_It’s not the first time she’s said it, he’s seven and she’s already decided that he’s too old for most of the things he does. She plops him back down in his bed, and he can already feel tears starting to swell up again. They do this over and over again, yet somehow Kent always thinks it will be different. That instead of abandoning him in his room, she’ll actually try to comfort him._

_What he’s not prepared for is for his mother to grasp his face in her hands, just on the edge of painful._

_“I’m doing this because I love you,” she says firmly. “You have to grow up Kent, it’ll be good for you.”_

_Her breath in his face smells sour as she talks and Kent pulls back from her quickly. Kent tugs his blanket up around himself as she leaves his room. He doesn’t even realise she locks the door behind her, already mostly asleep._

_The next morning, their maid wakes Kent when she loads the fireplace with more logs. Kent looks at her, feeling still mostly asleep and not one bit well rested._

_The next night, it’s almost a relief when it’s finally time for bed. Kent allows himself to get changed into pajamas and then tucked into bed, without the usual complaints._

_His mother comes in, giving him the routine kiss on the forehead with a wish goodnight. She’s been gone all day; where, though, Kent has no idea. He’s learned that even if she’s asked, she won't tell him._

_He doesn’t notice that she’s locked the door again until he wakes up from a nightmare, a cold sweat running down his body. He throws the covers back and crawls out of the bed towards the door._

_He wiggles the doorknob but it doesn’t budge. He tries again but nothing happens, tears running down his face as he finds himself unable to open the door._

_White hot panic runs through him, “Mama! Mama where are you?”_

_She doesn't come, but he’d already realised that before he even started calling for her. Kent starts crying harder, little hysterical sobs that make it hard for him to breath. He shrinks down to the floor, wrapping his hands around his knees._

_He’s suddenly freezing, shivers racking his entire body. He crawls back into bed, pulling the covers high around him even though they don’t seem to keep any of the heat in. Kent's never felt so lonely before, completely isolated from everyone else._

_Eventually, he does fall back asleep, though only after what felt like hours have passed by. It’s honestly a relief that he doesn’t dream._

 

 

 

 

Slowly, Antonia has been teaching him how to speak Russian. It’s difficult, Kent’s never really had an aptitude for learning other languages. Still, the incentive of being able to speak Russian to Alexei is a good enough reason.

Kent hasn’t yet told Alexei that Antonia is teaching him; Kent likes the idea of surprising Alexei with it. He can picture his excited face as Kent suddenly responds to him in Russian.

She teaches him how to say colors, simple phrases, like how to say hello and goodbye. She even teaches him how to say I love you, which makes him blush and look at his hands for a long time.

Kent fumbles his way through pronunciations, repeating after her with an unpracticed and virtually untested voice. She laughs at his mistakes, critiques his issues with a quick venom. He’s learning faster than he ever has before.

Alexei's gone most of the day, coming back right before dinner. Kent finds it funny, eating at the dining room table, just the two of them. It feels weirdly formal for them, like they're putting on some kind of show.

They read together for a while after, and then after that, Kent tries to teach Alexei how to play the piano. Kent’s not very talented at playing himself, but Alexei is completely hopeless. His large fingers never seem to hit the key the way he wants it to. The only reason he keeps doing it is because it makes Kent laugh hysterically.

That night, Kent falls into bed easily, feeling calm and content. He lays in the middle of the bed, mostly naked and watching as Alex gets undressed. The more he gets to know Alexei, the more attractive he finds him. He’s always liked his body, tall and muscular in all the ways Kent find appealing. There's something more there now, slowly forming.

Alexei gets onto the bed on his knees, grabbing Kents feet and tugging him toward the end of the bed. Kent half heartedly grabs at the sheets, but allows himself to be moved easily. He sighs happily when Alexei's slowly kneads his thumbs into the heel of his foot.

“Your feet are small,” Alexei says pinching his big toe, “how do you even stand.”

Kent kicks out his feet at Alexei playfully, almost hitting him in the shoulder though there's little intent behind his movements. Kent gives him an indignant look and says, “My feet are normal sized. Not all of us can be giants like you.”

“I am not giant,” Alexei says laying down on top of Kent who lets out a little huff of breath and he almost gets squashed underneath him. “It is not my fault that you are so small.”

“I am not small,” Kent says frowning but, at the same time, wrapping himself around Alexei who smiles proudly in return, well aware that they are hardly arguing.

“My tiny husband,” Alexei teases, “ya vas ochen' lyublyu kotenka.”

Kent almost doesn’t catch was he says, his brain taking a minute to follow the words and remember the definitions Antonia gave him. He folds in on himself as he slowly begins to realize, pulling back from Alexei who gives him a confused look.

“You can’t say that,” Kent says fiercely, sitting up. “You don’t get to say that.”

Kent sees it dawn on Alexei's face that Kent understood what he said and he only hopes that he doesn't go after Antonia for it. “You cannot tell me how to feel. What to say. Can feel and say whatever I like.”

“It’s not fair,” Kent replied stubbornly.

Alexei shoots him a look, “Is not my fault you are so fragile. Cannot even handle simple words.” Kent flinches back, drawing all the way back off the bed.

“Maybe you should have thought about that before you married me. Sorry I am too fragile for your liking, Mr. Mashkov,” Kent said bitterly as he got to his feet.

“Kenny, I did not mean-” Alexei tries to reach forward and grab for him, but Kent was already much too far away for that. Alexei ends up just reaching into empty space.

“Don’t call me that!” Kent yells. Maybe he’s a coward, but he slams the door behind him as he leaves their room. He stumbles down the hallway to one of the guest room, closing the door behind him as he falls into the bed.

He starts crying without even realising it, curling in on himself. He doesn’t think it’s fair that Alexei just decides he can say that to Kent because he thought he wouldn’t understand him. Not only that, but he suddenly decided that Kent was too fragile because he’s not alright with it.

The part that makes him the most angry is that Kent was just beginning to become comfortable around Alexei. He was beginning him to trust him, put his guard down the littlest bit. Kent feels like he’s been tricked.

 

 

 

 

 

_Kent is sixteen and in love. Or, at least, he thinks he’s in love, though he’s not very familiar with the feeling so he isn’t entirely sure. If love isn’t what he feels for Jack, then he’s not sure what it is._

_Jack’s an alpha now, he’d told him so with stumbling words and a bright red blush. He said it like Kent wouldn’t be able to smell it all over him. Like the smell wouldn’t make him want to curl up around him._

_Kent has never thought about kissing much, but now he thinks about it all the time. Slow tender touches that grow more aggressive and more demanding. That they’ll push and bite at each other._

_Jack promises Kent that one day soon he’ll be an alpha, too. Kent smiles and nods but he’s not sure if that's true anymore. He’s not entirely sure he wants it to be true anymore._

_Sometimes, Kent dreams about being an omega. Him and Jack could get married; the idea of being Jack’s little house omega isn’t even that bad of a thought. He could learn to host parties and watch children. Sometimes he dreams that he could do all of that for Jack._

_Except that there are bigger dreams inside of him, ones where he can’t be an omega. Ones were he becomes a businessman and an alpha and doesn’t love Jack Zimmermann anymore. Where they have their own company together, independent and completely free of his parents._

_The first time Jack kisses him, he knows he’s in love. It’s soft and inexperienced, both of them unsure of what they're doing. They can hear Jack’s parents talking in the other room, the light sound of Alicia’s laugh._

_When Jack pulls away, he’s blushing bright red and Kent imagines he’s doing a little bit of the same._

_It won’t be until two years later when Jack doesn’t want to ever see him again that Kent knows for sure that he loved Jack. Has for a very long time. That fact will hurt more than the rejection, the idea that he loved Jack and he never even told him._

 

 

 

 

Kent so far has been avoiding Alexei for two weeks, or maybe Alexei has been avoiding him. Most likely, it's a little bit of both, though mostly it's been coming from Kent.

He’s been spending more time back over at Jack and Bitty’s, playing with Amelia and cooking with Bitty. They both keep giving Kent these sad little looks, which he pretends not to notice.

He’s sitting across from Bitty at the kitchen table as he tries unsuccessfully to get Amelia to eat. She’s mostly just smeared food all over her face and the table, which is more disgusting than cute.

“What if I’m pregnant?” Kent asks suddenly, resting his head down in his folded arms.

“Than you’ll have a baby,” Bitty says cheekily before looking at Kent’s unimpressed look. “It won’t be as bad as you think.”

“I don’t like children, though. I’ve never wanted a child,” Kent says.

Bitty gives him an examining look and notes, “You're great with Amelia, I’m sure you will be wonderful with a child of your own.”

Bitty’s optimism is charming but, ultimately, doesn’t do anything to make Kent feel any better. The idea of having a child is too terrifying for Kent to even think about. It’s not like he can look to his own parents for advice in this situation.

“Me and Alexei haven’t even talked to each other for two weeks,” Kent says some what miserably. They have talked some what, short conversations that are not about anything substantial; Kent is still not sleeping in bed with Alexei.

Bitty sighs, “You both just need to talk to each other. Jack and I have had bigger fights than your little spat, you must talk it through.”

Kent groans and Bitty laughs as him, dropping the conversation easily. He knows the adult decision would be for him to go home and talk to Alexei. Both of them would apologize and then everything would slowly work itself out.

Instead, Kent gets home and avoids Alexei until dinner, where they both sit awkwardly and in silence. Alexei reads a newspaper and keeps pretending he’s not watching Kent even though he’s not very sneaky at all.

In the end, Kent says absolutely nothing. Maybe he’s waiting for Alexei to say something first. Alexei doesn’t, though, and that drives bitterness into Kent, making him pretend he’s exhausted and begging off early to go to bed.

He tries to read, only to realize that most of the books he hasn’t read are from Alexei. All of them, of course, are with lovely inscribed notes on the title page, calling him sweet words in Russian.

He blows out the candle, crawling into the guest bed he has been using. He’s forgotten how lonely it is to sleep in a bed all by himself, Kent’s somehow already gotten used to using Alexei as his own personal heating system.

He eventually does fall asleep, but in the morning he finds himself getting woken up but Antonia. One of the only benefits of being an omega is he can wake up whenever he likes, which is good because he likes sleeping in. So, he’s shocked when he wakes up to Antonia opening up the curtains to his makeshift bedroom.

“Kent, must wake up now. Parents are here,” Antonia says, ripping the covers off of him.

He sits up, brain still fuzzy, and mumbles, “What do you mean, my parents are here? What are you talking about.”

Antonia is grabbing clothes from his closet and handing them over to him. He’s still sitting in his coverless bed, wearing his pajamas. He stumbles out of bed, not caring that Antonia is in the room, and puts on real cloths.

“Your parents are here to see you,” Kent almost can’t believe he’s hearing those words. Maybe he always expected them to show up, he knows them and knows that they would come crawling around eventually. He’d just thought they’d wait a little bit longer.

Kent finishes buttoning his shirt, “Is Alexei here?”

Antonia shakes her head, “He left early this morning. I can get someone to fetch him for you if you need.”

“No, it’s alright. Please don’t,” Kent says, knowing that this might not be the right time for him and Alexei to suddenly start talking. He’s also not sure if he's ready for Alexei to see this side of his life, of him. There's a reason he didn’t want his parents at the wedding.

When he comes downstairs, he finds his mother and father sitting in matching arm chairs. His mother gives him a tight hug, almost knocking him over with the ferocity, and Kent can already smell the alcohol on her breath.

His father doesn’t get up, barely even looks at him, and says, “This is a very nice house, my boy.”

From anyone else, he’d assume it was a good natured compliment, but he knows that his father is looking at every piece of furniture, every nicknack, and evaluating how much money he could get from it all.

“Thank you,” Kent says back, “You should tell that to Alexei.”

“Kent, I refuse to believe you got married and didn’t tell us,” his mother says, already trying make him feel guilty, “and that you, my dear boy, are an omega. Do you understand how this makes us look?”

“I don’t need to tell you things. I don’t need you having any more control over my life!” Kent shouts back at her, already growing frustrated with his parents manipulation.

“Why are you so ungrateful, after all the things me and your father have given you. Don't you think we deserve some appreciation?” his mother asks, putting her hands around her face as though she's upset, although Kent sees right through it.

“What do you want,” He asks, feeling exhausted. It's taken years for Kent to be able to get through a conversation without letting his mother's guilt tripping effect him. Now, he wishes that Alexei was here, to be some sort of buffer and to validate why he didn’t want them at the wedding. Knowing his parents, they probably would have waited until Alexei was alone to talk to him.

“You humiliated us,” his father says suddenly joining the conversation, “Not inviting us to your wedding was the ultimate humiliation. Beside marrying someone like him.”

He’s not surprised his parents have feelings about the fact that Alexei is Russian, he’s honestly surprised they haven’t written him earlier and told him so. Katie has already told him that their parents wrote her and told her as much.

“You don’t get to pass judgement,” Kent responds. “You should leave, I don’t want either of you in my home anymore.”

“Kent, we are your family. We know you can’t be part of the Aces, but we were wondering if you’d like to keep it in the family,” his father says, and there it is, Kent should have seen it coming. They've been after his shares in the Aces since he got involved.

Kent gives the a stern look and says firmly, “No, you may not have it. I’ve already signed over everything to Jeff and Alexei, I don't have anything to give you.”

He can see his parents growing frustrated, most likely trying to scramble for another way they can take something of Kent’s. When the door gets thrown open before his parents can say another word, it's one of the biggest reliefs Kent has ever felt.

He expects to see Alexei standing at the doorway, maybe even Antonia, but certainly not Bitty and Jack. They’re here anyways and Bitty has an angry look on his face while Jack has a steely gaze. Kent figures Jack probably knows the most about Kent's relationship with his parents.

“I think it would be much appreciated if you both left,” Bitty says to the parents’ surprised expressions.

“Jack,” his mother says, pulling on her best smile to try to cover up her frustration. “It is so wonderful to see you. This must be your husband, it's wonderful to meet you.”

“Don’t talk to him,” Jack snaps, “I think it would be best for everyone if you go home now.”

“Kent, sweetheart,” his mother says, “we can work this out, let's talk about it.”

“No, we can’t,” Kent says and it feels amazing to stand up for himself against them. “I want you to leave, please just get out of my house.”

His parents both seem to finally get the message, standing up with disgruntled looks. His father looks one way from an angry tirade, which Kent's sure he’d be letting out if Bitty and Jack weren’t here right now.

“We’ll come back tomorrow, have a real talk,” his father says, setting him with an angry look. Bitty wraps Kent up in a tight hug as soon as his parents leave, getting escorted out of the house by Jack to make sure they don’t try anything.

“How did you know to come here?” Kent asks as Bitty pulls back from the hug. Kent doesn’t imagine they just happened to show up.

Jack walks back into the room and explains, “Antonia came over, she was looking for Mashkov. Luckily we were both home, came over right away.”

“Thank you,” Kent says, he honestly can’t imagine how easily the situation could have spiraled down if they weren't there. “Do you know where Alexei is.”

“He left early for a meeting in the country. Most likely, he won’t be back until much later,” Jack says. “Did he not tell you about it?”

“We’re still fighting,” Kent says in way of explanation, feeling slightly ashamed by the fact. Kent knows it's been going on too long and he sees the unimpressed look Bitty gives him out of the corner of his eye.

“That explains why Tater has been so surly lately. I thought he was going to bite my head off,” Jack says. Kent hasn’t noticed any mood shift in Alexei though they haven't really been spending any time around each other.

“We can stay here if you’d like. We’ll wait until Alexei gets back,” Bitty says giving a warm smile. “We can make some blueberry pie!”

Kent almost turns him down, he’s sure they have more important things to do than baby sit him. But he also really doesn’t want to be alone right now, and he can’t think of anyone who’d be willing to spend time with him right now. He’s also he’s smart enough not to turn down pie.

Bitty and Jack do end up staying; him and Bitty make a pie while Jack reads one of Alexei’s many books. Eventually, close to dinner time, Dex comes over with Amelia on his hip. Alexei still isn’t back and he knows Bitty and Jack will have to leave soon. He’s dreading being home all by himself.

He’s glad that, when Jack and Bitty do leave, he falls asleep quickly, emotionally exhausted from the day he’s had. Kent hasn’t had a nightmare in years, but seeing his parents is exactly the kind of thing that would cause one.

He wakes up to the feeling of being freezing cold but also sweating at the same time. He stumbles out of bed, sheets practically sticking to his skin. He doesn’t even think as he goes to his bedroom door, throwing it open wide. He feels relief run down his spine as the door opens with ease, some part of him had expected it locked.

He can see light under Alexei’s closed door and he moved towards that, eyes squinting against the sudden light. It takes his eyes a minute to adjust but he sees Alexei sitting in bed, book in hand.

“Kenny?” Alexei asks, peering over at him. Kent throws himself down on the bed, worming his way up against Alexei and under the covers before he can really think anything about it. He presses his face up against Alexei’s neck and wraps his arms around him.

Alexei pulls him close right back, curling his fingers into Kent’s hair and rocking him back and forth slight.

“Kent? Kotyonok? What is matter?” Alexei asks concernedly.

“Bad dream,” Kent murmurs back quietly, feeling slightly ashamed at the truth. His mother's words from when he was a child ringing around in his brain. “Can I sleep here tonight.”

“Of course, it is your room too,” Alexei says back, giving him a kiss on the forehead. Kents misses this, being wrapped up in Alexei’s arms and in bed with him. These last weeks have been horrible, Kent doesn’t think he ever wants to be alone again.

He kisses Alexei’s neck gently and admits, “I missed you so much.”

Alexei scoots down the bed slightly so he can kiss Kent on the mouth and follows it with an array of kisses all around his face. He hovers over Kent, creating a little bubble around his body.

Belatedly, Alexei realizes, “Kotyonok, you are shivering.”

“I’m cold,” Kent admits. He feels pathetic, like that seven year old kid whose mother locked in his room. Nightmares always bring up that part of him, the only difference is this time he’s not alone.

Alexei gives him a large smile and says, “Do not worry, I keep you warm.” He flops down right on top of Kent, who lets out a grunt under the weight.

“‘Lexi, you're too heavy,” Kent whines and Alexei rolls off of him. He pulls the covers up around both of them, tucking him with the blankets up around his ears. It’s a warm little cacoon for just the two of them and Kent happily snuggles in closer.

Alexei kisses him on the forehead and whispers, “We need to talk in the morning.”

Kent is dreading that but he agrees. He knows that he can’t let their fight go completely unresolved, even if they’ve made up. Plus, he assumes that at some point they’ll have to talk about his parents.

Kent falls asleep quickly, his cold hands pressed against Alexei’s body in an attempt to keep warm. He can feel Alexei’s gentle breath in his hair as he reaches over to blow out the candle, casting the room into darkness.

 

 

 

 

When Kent wakes up, he’s disoriented for a moment. It’s only when he turns over and sees Alexei beside him does he remember the night before, crawling into bed with him and getting sweet kisses in return.

He pokes at Alexei’s chest in an attempt to wake him up, but the man only opens one eye to cast Kent with a sleepy glare.

“Do you have to work today?” Kent whispers. Alexei turns from his side onto his back and mumbles, “No, go back to sleep.”

Kent follows his direction but not before scooting closer and making sure to press his freezing feet on Alexei’s leg.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'ya vas ochen' lyublyu kotenka' means 'i love you very much kitten'


	5. Falling Back Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Kent, it seems as though your parents are here again,” Antonia says, and that would explain the nerves. His parents can inspire anxiety in almost anyone. 
> 
> “Your parents? Again?” Alexei says, looking surprised. 
> 
> “They came by yesterday, they were hoping to get my stocks in the Aces and were upset when they learned I’d already given them away,” Kent says, already feeling tense. “You have to get them to leave. Please, I don’t want them here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I honestly can't believe this is almost over. Theres going to be a really short epilogue probably posted within the next week or so. thanks to queenrhino for editing this chapter!  
> hope you enjoy, comments and kudos are always appreciated.

When he finally wakes up, it’s to gentle kisses pressed to his jaw. It’s probably the most pleasant way to wake up, though Kent would really prefer to just keep sleeping. He swats at Alexei, who lets out a soft laugh before rolling out of bed. 

“What time is it?” Kent says opening one of his eyes before squeezing it closed at the bright light. Alexei laughs at his scrunched up face and Kent rolls back into the pillow. 

“About noon,” Alexei says climbing back onto the bed, now fully clothed, and lays half on top of Kent. “Would you like accompany me to lunch.” 

“Where would you go?” Kent asks, sitting up slightly and putting his weight on his elbows. He sleepily rubbed at his eye, trying to get them used to the daylight.

“Somewhere nice,” Alexei says, kissing Kent on the cheek. “Want to take you somewhere nice.” 

“Okay,” Kent says slipping out of bed and going to change out of his pajamas and into something more appropriate for public. Kent has definitely grown tired of eating his lunch alone, just one of the many reasons he could be found at the Zimmermann house around this time. 

Alexei hands him a coat as they leave the house, even going so far as to wrap a scarf around Kent’s neck as well. The entirety of London is still in the throes of winter, layers of snow covering the generally smog of the city. Kent has always prefered the heat so he takes the scarf happily. 

They slip into their carriage, him and Alexei sitting close together. The ride doesn't take long and they stop in front of an elegant restaurant. Kent's fairly certain he’s been here before, something about the facade fills him with déjà vu, though it must have been ages ago. Even though the church towers are just chiming midday, the restaurant is crowded with bustling waiters running around to deliver everyone's food and the patrons filling almost every table. 

It takes them hardly a second for them to get seated and Alexei smiles happily at him from across the table. He seems immensely pleased to be treating Kent to a fancy luncheon, ordering expensive white wine to go with their meal. Kent is certainly not going to complain about the treatment and he’s certainly not going to turn down any extravagant gifts or gestures. 

They still have to talk about their fight, though this is not the place to do it. There's quite a few people here that would love to hear about the more gritty aspects of their marriage. 

So they keep everything civil and lovely, skipping around their fight with good social graces. It’s not like they don’t have things to talk about; him and Alexei have more in common than he would have ever expected. The most pleasing part of any conversation is when Alexei asks him for business advice, not just about his shares in the Aces but the Falconers too. 

It feels good to know that Alexei values his intelligence and doesn’t just think of him as a silly omega who is only good at bending over and having babies. Kent had always worried that one day, this could be his fate - being treated like he doesn’t have a brain of his own. 

Lunch ends with him and Alexei splitting dessert, nothing as good as something Bitty could create, but delicious nonetheless. 

Alexei kisses him softly when they return to their carriage, tasting like chocolate, and Kent imagines that he tastes the same. He curls himself around Alexei, who grabs at his waist and tugs him closer. 

“We still need to talk,” Alexei says after a comfortable moment, pulling back just a bit. 

“Thank you for ruining the mood,” Kent sighs moving away from Alexei, straightening his jacket and glancing out the carriage window. 

Alexei frowns, “Kent, is not-”

“I know, I know we still need to talk,” Kent says. As much as Kent doesn’t want to, he accepts that that's the reality of the situation. 

It's only a few more minutes before they’re pulling up in front of their house, quickly getting out and heading into the warm interior. Antonia is standing at the door, reaching forward to take their coats. She seems nervous and even slightly on edge. 

“Kent, it seems as though your parents are here again,” Antonia says, and that would explain the nerves. His parents can inspire anxiety in almost anyone. 

“Your parents? Again?” Alexei says, looking surprised. 

“They came by yesterday, they were hoping to get my stocks in the Aces and were upset when they learned I’d already given them away,” Kent says, already feeling tense. “You have to get them to leave. Please, I don’t want them here.”

Alexei frowns, observing how distressed Kent's suddenly become at the news that his parents are here. He gives Kent's hand a reassuring squeeze and Kent follows Alexei into the sitting room. 

His parents are sitting identically as they were the day before, though this time they both stand up when they see Alexei. His father hold out his hand and Alexei shakes it wearily. 

“Ah, you must be Mr. Mashkov,” his father declares, looking every bit as drunk and sleezy as he did yesterday.

“Yes,” Alexei returns without a smile, “and you are Lord and Lady Parson. It is pleasure to meet.”

“We thought it would be best for us to come here and talk,” Kent's mother says putting on her most charming smile, “I believe we all have some business to attend to.” 

“No. I don’t believe we do,” Alexei says, “I actually think it best if you go.”

His mother turns to look at Kent, setting him with a cold look that he remembers well from his childhood, and says, “Kent we are family. You, me, and your father are all family, we love you. Don’t you think it's right for you to share your good fortune with us.”

“We are not family,” Kent finds himself saying before he can even register the words leaving his mouth, “Alexei is my husband and he is my family now. Now, he asked you to leave and it's time you do.” 

“You were always such a brat,” his mother says, snapping suddenly, “and now you're a whore too. I always knew you would be like this. I’ve always tried to help you and you never listened to me.”

“Get out,” Alexei says, voice steady but hardly masking the rage dripping from his words. Kent has never seen Alexei so mad, not even when they were fighting. His parents finally seem to understand that they’ve taken it too far. His father grabs his mother by the arm and leads them both out of the room. 

He’s not prepared for Alexei to pull him in close and hug him tightly. He presses his face into Alexeis shoulder, curling himself into him. 

“You are my family too, kotyonok,” Alexei murmurs, kissing him, first delicately but soon becoming passionate and searing. He hoists Kent up from under his knees and braces a hand behind his back and lifts him up into his arms. Kent laughs and wraps his arms around his neck, positive that Alexei knows how much Kent likes being picked up. 

It’s all very romantic until they're trying to get through the doorway of their bedroom and Alexei smashes Kent's feet right into the doorway. He cries out, half in surprise and half in pain. 

“Oh, Kenny, very sorry,” Alexei says as he lowers Kent down onto the bed. “Are your ankles okay.”

“They will be if you kiss me,” Kents says in fake seriousness. Alexei smiles at him but follows his directions, sitting on the bed and grabbing Kent’s feet to shower his ankles in kisses. It feels very silly but not in any unpleasant way. 

Alexei pulls off Kent’s pants, throwing them half way across the room with a flourish. Kent laughs as Alexei kisses his way up his legs, giggling slightly at the parts were it tickles. He continues to push up Kent's shirt as he gets there, kissing him with more vigor. 

Alexei sits up in between Kent's spread legs and says with all the seriousness in the world, “I love you. I won't take back. You don’t have to say, but I do. Loving you means I never want ever hurt you.” 

Kent feels a little bit like crying, the words hitting him deeply. He wraps his arms tight around Alexei’s shoulders and pulls him down for a tight hug. Alexei takes this moment to press his face up against Kent's scent glands and take a deep breath. 

“Thank you,” Kent murmurs running his fingers through Alexei's hair. “Thank you so much.”

“You no have to thank. I should not call you fragile, it wrong of me,” Alexei says giving him a kiss on the cheek. 

“I am fragile,” Kent says, “I’m trying to be better.” 

Alexei cups Kent's face in his hands and whispers, “You don’t need to be better. You are good enough for me.” 

Kent pulls Alexei down, kissing him roughly and working to rid Alexei of his clothes. He does the same to Kent who accepts his kisses happily and with just the same amount of enthusiasm. It’s a relief when they're both naked, hot skin against hot skin. 

It takes a long series of gentle touches before Kent's finally ready, moaning loudly when Alexei pushes inside of him. He braces himself over Kent who claws at him in an attempt to hurry him. 

Alexei takes his time, though, moving gently and whispering sweet Russian names to him. He’s not used to this kind of treatment; when he was acting as a beta, sex for him was usually hard and quick, trying to find the most efficient way to both reach their pleasures. Alexei seems happy to take his time, not just trying to hurry to the inevitable climax. 

When Alexei finally does come, knotting deep inside Kent, he feels relief. Kent follows along quickly after, crying out loudly and going completely limp. He allow Alexei to move their bodies on their sides, Alexei pressed warmly against his back. Alexei curls his arms tightly around Kent as though to secure him close. 

Kent finds himself sighing happily, feeling both warm and content. The feeling makes him sleepy and the idea of a long late afternoon nap suddenly sounds very appealing. 

“Kotyonok, do you think if you had never been revealed as omega you would want still to marry me?” Alexei asks from behind him. It's a strange question in and of itself, mostly because if Kent was still acting as a beta, he would never have needed to marry. 

“I find you very handsome, that's not something that would change.” Kent feels Alexei press his smile against his shoulder and continues, “Still, I was not looking for a partner. I honestly don’t know.”

“I would still have wanted to marry you,” Alexei says firmly, as though he was proud of the fact. 

Kent finds himself smiling, even if he has suspicions that Alexei’s words were a lie. He doesn’t mention that, though. Instead, he lets his eyelids grow heavy and his breaths slow. The last thing he remembers before falling asleep is Alexei pulling the covers up over them. 

  
  
  


 

 

 

_ Four days before he had his first heat in years, falling apart suddenly during a business meeting and has to be assisted out of the room, he meets with Lucy for the very last time.  _

_ The first thing he notices is she looks skinnier than normal, though she’s always been a little bit birdlike, but nothing like this. Her skin is ashen even under the street light and her coat hangs off of her body.  _

_ She seems nervous when he hands Kent over a jar full of the suppressants. He takes one right away, and admittedly he notices something is off. It has the same usual chalky taste but it lacks something. He tries not to dwell on it though, wanting to get out of the street and into the safety of his own carriage.  _

_ He almost considers giving Lucy more money than normal but he doesn’t want to start a habit that he can not keep. Instead he hands her the money and she scurries off without her normal condescending and confusing words.  _

_ He doesn’t notice any difference until late the next day. Ever since he started taking suppressants, his libido had been nonexistent, resembling that of a beta. He still found people attractive, though, often he never craved much beside a quick fuck, feeling repelled by much more than that.  _

_ Suddenly there's a charge under his skin. The noticeable part is who his attraction is towards. On suppressants, omegas, alphas, and betas seemed attractive to him but now, the idea of being with another omega disgusts him. Alphas who, only days before, seemed too large and dominating for Kent, are all he wants.  _

_ There's an energy thrumming under his skin that he hasn’t had in a long time, making it hard for him to focus on anything. He gets more looks on the street, appraising looks that make him curl in on himself.  _

_ He ignores all of it, he’s always been good at ignoring his feelings. He pushes all these observations into a small corner of his mind, files them away and pretends like nothing ever changed.  _

_ Four days pass before it finally all comes to a close. He thinks he probably goes into heat faster than he usually does because of seeing Jack, seeing him sitting across the room with a handsome brown haired man.  _

_ Maybe it’s some form of jealousy, that someone else is now Jack’s friend. Maybe it’s stress, which is known to put omegas into heat faster than usual. Most likely, though, all of the suppressants from the good pills had finally left his body, leaving him vulnerable and completely defenceless.  _

  
  
  


 

 

Kent worries that he would never be able to love a child, even one that is his own. 

His heat passes once again and brings both relief and anxiety with it. He knows that this means that he isn’t pregnant but, at the same time, heat means it is likely that he will be this time. 

Kent’s laying in bed beside Alexei, hogging all the covers and pretending he isn’t any time Alexei tries to pull it back. Typically, he likes to use Alexei as his own personal heater but he feels sweaty already and the sheet is more than enough. 

He’s already half asleep and trying to ignore Alexei when he pulls Kent close, tucking them carefully together. He nuzzles at Kent and kisses him until he finally returns Alexei’s kisses with little energy. 

“Want to have a baby with you,” Alexei murmurs quietly. 

Kents body freezes up and he pulls back slowly, “Alexei… I don’t, I won’t be a good parent. I don’t know how to be a good parent.”

Alexei sits up and Kent almost groans out loud. He was seconds from falling asleep, but this means now Alexei wants to talk about things. It's something they decided after their fight, how important it is to actually talk about their issues. He knows it’s for the better but that doesn’t means sometime it never drives him mad. 

“You will make excellent father,” Alexei says, “I worry about being bad parent. I worry kid will be looked down at because they will he half Russian with Russian surname.”

Alexei’s always hyper aware of the fact that he’s not English, that he’s an immigrant. Kent has seen him try to tame his accent and apologize for the fact that Kent has his surname now as though it bothers him. Kent's never really liked being a Parson anyways.  

“I like being a Mashkov,” Kent says cupping Alexei's face with his hands. He nuzzles into Kent's touch happily. “And I know any children we have will too.”

Alexei smile is so bright, Kent almost feels blinded by it, “I love you, kotyonok.”

Kent smiles in return and tucks himself under Alexei’s chin, burrowing into his body. For the first time, Kent can imagine himself saying those words back. 

  
  
  


 

 

_ Katie has been watching him from across the room. She keeps pretending like she’s not, turning back to her book every time Kent looks up. For some reason, she seems to think she’s sly, but Kent almost can’t control his laughter over how obvious she is.  _

_ Finally, after what feels like the hundredth time, he says, “Katie, if you have something to say, you might as well go ahead and say it.” _

_ She gives him a disgruntled look, “I have something I need to tell you.” _

_ Kent sets the newspaper down in his lap, the article he was reading wasn’t particularly interesting anyways, “Alright, what?” _

_ “I’m pregnant!” Katie more or less shouts at him. _

_ Kent can’t help it, he starts laughing. She’s been in a nervous tizzy since he got her and all to tell him something like that. Katie frowns at him, giving him an unimpressed look before he's finally about to gets his giggles back under control. _

_ “I don’t see how any of this is very funny,” Katie fold her hands over her chest and slouches down in the arm chair dramatically. He rolls his eyes at her childish antics, not that he wouldn’t be doing the exact same thing in her situation.  _

_ “You are married,” Kent points out. “Getting pregnant is something that happens to people when they’re married.” _

_ “I thought older brothers are supposed to be helpful,” Katie's grumbles.  _

_ “I don’t know why you would think I’d know what to do with a baby anymore than you,” Kent says. Their experience, both with children and examples of how to be maternal, are rather lacking. Kent could give her advice on what places have the best music and dancing, but he doesn’t have a single thing to say about taking care of a baby.  _

_ Katie grumbles something under her breath, “I have to feed it, look after it. I am not ready to be doing any of those things.”  _

_ Kent rolls his eyes, “You’ll be fine.”  _

_ They sit quietly for a minute. Kent returns back to his mediocre article and begins reading it. Katie still has her book open in her lap but she’s staring off into space, “I’m worried that I’m going to be like mama.”  _

_ Kent knows the feeling well, he can’t remember a time when he wasn’t worried about one day becoming their parents, “If anyones going to be like mama, it’s going to be me. I’ve already started to the early afternoon drinking so I’m not too far off.”  _

_ The humour falls a little flat on the both of them, their mother has never really been something that's easy to joke about. The memories attached with her are both too bitter for them, most of them things they much rather forget than talk about.  _

_ “You're too smart to ever be like mama, Kenny,” she says it like it's the law, completely true with no way of ever changing. They both know that intelligence has nothing to do with turning into their mother.  _

_ Kent feels himself curling in, turning away from Katie, “I’ve almost been there before, after Jack…”  _

_ They both remember it well, how easily Kent fell apart after Jack. If he wasn’t drinking all day long, then he was laying in bed, covers pulled up tight around his shoulders. In a few instances, he combined the two, which never led to very positive results.  _

_ “That was different,” Katie says. “We're not going to be like her. We’re going to be better than she ever was.”  _

_ “Okay,” Kent didn’t know if he believed her, but it seems like too nice of an idea.  _

_ “Now, children,” Katie says, turning to him with a smile, “How often do you think you’re suppose to feed them?”  _

_ Kent has never liked being a Parson, always hoped that he’s never be like his parents, but he’s always wanted to be just a little bit like Katie.  _

  
  
  


 

 

Kent’s still not entirely sure how he got dragged into this. It had started out as a simple invitation from Katie to go shopping and then, somehow, Bitty had half invited himself and half bribed Katie with baked goods to a point where she insisted he should come. 

They seemed to then decide it's their life mission to torture him, teasing him about every little thing. Katie keeps sharing embarrassing stories from his childhood and he can just see that Bitty is filing them away to use as blackmail for some later date. 

Kent has always been a reckless sort of shopper, not possessing the organization that Bitty seems to have nor the stamina that Katie has. Before long, he’s dragging himself behind them, complaining about everything that's currently bothering him and the many things that have been bothering him lately. 

He’s not sure whats going on except that everything is getting his nerves. He finds himself snapping at Tater, practically falling apparent during Russian lessons with Antonia, and now wanting to clobber both his sister and Bitty during a simple shopping trip. 

He’s half listening to them talk, though, at the same time, every word they say makes him feel even more agitated. 

“Amelia wouldn’t sleep all the way through the night, I was practically at my wits end,” Bitty says with a laugh. He has a big shopping bag on one of arms, he’s mostly been shopping for Amelia’s third birthday; though it's still almost two months away, Bitty figures he might as well take advantage. The toy store they had been in earlier was a hellscape Kent never wanted to visit again. 

“You don’t have to sell me, both my girls were completely nocturnal. I don’t think I’ll ever get all those nights of missed sleep back,” Katie says with a laugh of her own. Kent remembers her complaining about sleepless nights. 

“Nothing like the mood swings during the pregnancy, and all the urination,” Bitty says, lowering his voice like he just said something very dirty. 

Kent freezes right in the middle of the store. A woman with a child on each arm pushes past him with words hissed under her breath. Kent is stunned a million thoughts running through his head.

It's not like he didn’t think this was a possibility, mostly he’s just been trying not to think about it. Besides the conversation him and Alexei had right after his heat, they haven’t even talked about pregnancy or having kids. 

“Kenny?” his sister says. He turns to look at her. “Is something wrong?” 

“I think… I think I might be pregnant,” Kent can’t believe those words coming out of his mouth. 

“Oh lord,” Bitty says grabbing into his arm, “are you sure? When was your last heat?” 

“About two months ago,” Kent replies. “I wasn’t sure until I heard you guys talking about your pregnancy and I feel just like that.” 

“I think this situation calls for dessert,” Bitty says pulling Kent along behind him, who somehow makes his feet move along with Bitty. His sister hooks his arm in hers and gives him a reassuring smile. 

They end up in a small little bakery. The woman working behind the counter greets Bitty with a smile and already seems to know him by name. Kent and Katie go and sit at a table, waiting a minute for Bitty to come over and sit with them. 

“So,” Katie says as they each get a slice of chocolate cake set in front of them, “have you told Alexei yet.” 

“I didn’t even realize until a few minutes ago,” Kent says, taking a massive bite of cake, “Or maybe I knew it but was just pretending that it wasn’t true.” 

Bitty puts his elbows up on the table, “Maybe you’re not pregnant, you won't even know until the time your heat passes. Trust me, I’ve been wrong before. It’s impossible to really tell until then.” 

Kent sighs and slumps back in his chair, “I’ve been ill every morning for the last two weeks, I’m fairly certain that means I’m pregnant.” 

“Are you excited?” Bitty asks slowly, giving him a considering look. 

“I’m not sure,” Kent admitted. “I mean, Alexei really wants kids but I’m not sure if I’ll make a very good parent or if I even want to be one.” 

He’s not prepared for Katie to suddenly start laughing and he turns to scowls at her, “I don’t understand how this is so humorous.” 

“No, it’s not that,” Katie says, pulling her giggle back, “I’m pretty sure I remember having the exact same conversation with you when I was pregnant.” 

Kent finds him laughing along with her. It feels like a lifetime ago when him and Katie were having that conversation. Back then, he didn’t think he would ever get married, let alone be pregnant. 

“It turned out alright for me, you're going to be a wonderful father,” Katie tries to reassure him. Her words almost work, though his hands still feel a little clammy and he still feels like he’s resting on the edge of full blown panic. 

Bitty gives him a reassuring smile too, “It’s not like you're going to be alone. You’ll have Tater, and me and Jack and your sister. Everything is going to turn out just fine.” 

Kent finds himself giving a small smile, “Thank you, I think it might be best if I go home, I need to talk to Alexei.” 

“Eat your cake first,” Bitty says, giving him a wide smile, “then it’s time to get you home.” 

  
  
  


 

 

As soon Kent walks through the door, he pulls Alexei into a tight hug. He tucks himself along Alexei’s front, wrapping his arms tightly around him and pressing his face against Alexei’s neck. Alexei pulls him close in return and rests his chin on top of Kent’s head.

“Kenny, everything okay?” Alexei says, giving his forehead a kiss. 

“Yes,” Kent murmurs, giving him a quick kiss, “everything is fine.” 

Alexei curls his fingers through Kent’s hair and smiles down at him with a soft fond look, “Did you have good time shopping with Bitty and Katie?” 

“Yep, we even got cake after,” Kent says with pleased smirk. 

“Very jealous,” Alexei says. “You sure you okay? Not that I don’t like hug but if something wrong, we should talk.” 

Kent bites his lip nervously and pulls back way from Alexei, “I guess that we probably should talk.” 

“Alright,” Alexei says slowly sitting down in his armchair and taking Kent's hands in his, “Is something wrong?” 

“No, everything's just fine,” Kent says giving him an uneven smile, “I think that I might be pregnant.” 

As soon as the words are out of Kent’s mouth, Alexei’s face breaks into a wide smile. It’s the reaction he was prepared for, though he was not prepared for Alexei to reach forward and tug Kent right into his lap to squeeze him close. 

“Kenny, kotyonok, are you sure?” Alexei says, giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. 

“I won’t be completely sure until the week of my heat passes, but I already spoke with Bitty and Katie and I really think I am,” Kent says, wrapping his arms around Alexei’s neck and then, more quietly, says, “I’m really scared.” 

Alexei wraps firm arms around him, “I am scared too, but we figure what to do together.” 

Kent’s heart feels so full, like it’s overflowing all over his his body. He feels warm and fuzzy within his chest. He gives Alexei a deep kiss, who kisses back with enthusiasm, touching every part of Kent’s body available to him. 

“I love you,” Kent says running his finger along Alexei’s jawline, “I love you so much.”  

Alexei looks at him in awe, “I love you too, kotyonok. I don’t think I have ever been so happy.” 

Kent doesn’t know how he got so lucky, to be married to Alexei. Not long ago, he thought he was the unluckiest man in the world, getting his entire life taken away from him. Now, though, he thinks that his new life really isn’t that bad at all.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed, comments and kudos are always appreciated. came talk to me on my tumblr [here!](http://isabelbarret.tumblr.com)


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